What the hell am I doing?
by PaperPlanes-Diamonds
Summary: So things get a little out of hand, secrets are hidden, lies are told and no one has a clue what's going on. Aaron doesn't want to be anything like his biological dad or become another waste of space statistic looked down on by their own. He wants to prove him self and that, he will.
1. Chapter 1

He could feel himself reaching his climax. The soft panting that filled the room and the sets of nails digging themselves into the skin of his back didn't help. Holly was a writhing mess beneath him as she tossed her head around on the pillow, her hair a tangled, sexy, mane around her flustered face. He could hear her moaning his name as she reached hers, before he tightened around him, arching her back towards the ceiling and collapsing against the sheets. Aaron went a little longer before finally giving out. To stop himself from crushing Holly beneath all his weight, he pulled out and buckled onto the bed beside her, unable to support his own weight as he was over come with a light headed feeling.

"Fuck. . ." Aaron panted almost in audibly as he lay beside Holly on his stomach, not bothering to move from the uncomfortable position as he relished in the aftermath.

Being the first to come round after their recent activities Holly rolled onto her side, reached out an arm and began to trace patterns on to the pale skin on Aaron's back. "That was amazing Aaron."

"I. . . know." Aaron panted, still coming down. He lay perfectly still, with his eyes shut as his head swam.

They must have dozed off for a while, because the next thing Aaron knew was waking up wrapped round the dark haired teen with a duvet pulled over the top of them to keep them warm. Carefully, Aaron tried pull his arm out from underneath Holly without waking her up. He was desperate for a pee. Ever so quietly the young mechanic climbed out of the single bed and began to search for his clothes thrown around the room in their haste to shed each other of their clothes.

"Aaron? . . . What you doing?" A quiet, confused voice spoke from underneath the covers, before a dishevelled Holly sat up in bed, staring at him with glazed over eyes.

"Just need the loo." Aaron whispered as he found his boxers and tugged them over his legs. There was no way he was wondering round the Barton's house with nothing on. Even though Moira and John were out, he wasn't risking it.

"Be quick." Holly smiled before lying back down.

Aaron tiptoed into the bathroom, quickly doing what he needed to. On his way back to Holly's bedroom, the teen took a detour downstairs. He was thirsty. A cool beer right then sounded good to him.

"Hurry up Aaron! I'm getting cold up here!" He heard Holly call down the stairs as he flicked the light on in the kitchen.

"Yeah alright, hold on!" Aaron shouted back before looking in the fridge.

He didn't hear anyone enter the house or even creep up behind. When he shut the door to the fridge and spun round to head back to Holly, Aaron jumped out of his skin as he came face to face with Adam.

"Alright?" Aaron greeted, recovering quickly from the shock.

"you're unbelievable." Adam said.

"Can't say it's not how it looks, cause it is." Aaron smirked back as he brushed past the younger teen.

"You know what, I just wish that I knew why you were doing this." Adam told him.

"And I just wish you would leave me alone!" Aaron flew at him. Why couldn't Adam keep of his back?

"You're taking your time." Holly Called down the stairs, ignored by both men.

"She doesn't deserve this." Adam argued.

"Doesn't deserve what?" Holly interrupted from the doorway, dressed only in a shirt.

Both, Adam and Aaron went silent.

"I want to know what I don't deserve." Holly continued, pushing for an answer. She had interrupted something and she wanted to know what. She was fed up of her brother constantly getting on to Aaron for going out with her. So what he was his best mate? It didn't mean that Aaron couldn't date her.

"Me." Aaron said after a while, still glaring at Adam. "Thinks you deserve better than me."

"I'm not being funny, yeah, but since when was this any of your business?" Holly flew at her younger brother as she approached him. "You don't see me interfering in your life."

"Holly, will you just-."

"- No I won't! Because I've had just about enough of this." Holly continued over Aaron's pathetic attempts at calming her. "Why are you so down on us? I thought he was your mate?"

"He is!" Adam exclaimed.

"So why?"

"Because he tried to kiss me." Adam admitted. Aaron's stomach dropped, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was supposed to be his mate.

"Tried to what?" Holly looked back to Aaron, then to Adam again. "When?"

"That night when we all went out and got asked for id. I swear, to you Holly, we were in the car and the guy came on to me."

"No I didn't." Aaron protested, swallowing thickly.

"-Wait a minute. Did he actually kiss ya?" Holly questioned looking at Adam.

"No, but – He, he looked like he was going to." Adam stumbled.

"Oh, so he just looked like it now!"

"Look, I banged my head, I was all over the place." Aaron continued to lie.

"Why would I lie?" Adam asked, looking his sister straight in the eye to show he was telling the truth. "I think He's gay."

"You think?" Holly snapped.

"I'm sure." Adam argued. He knew he was. "Alright, I know what happened."

Holly shook her head in disgust and looked towards her boyfriend. There was no way Aaron was gay. He was the last person in world you would expect to be gay. And if he was, what they had just done upstairs. . . well, that would never have happened.

"Holly, Look, this is me. Me, you just. . . me, upstairs. That makes me far from gay doesn't it?" Aaron stumbled.

"You're a joke." Adam bit out bitterly.

"No you are." Aaron shot at the young farmer before lowering his voice to sound more threatening. "Cause you know what I think. I think you're the one obsessing over this. You can't let it go, won't let it go, will ya? So what does that make you then?" He countered.

"Fine, have it your way." Adam sneered at his sister, knowing there was no point arguing it anymore. She was stubborn. "Don't say I didn't warn ya." He warned before walking out of the room to his own bedroom.

"How gorgeous must he think he is?" Holly joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere that now weighed down on them. She hooked her arms around the half naked teen and pulled him to a hug.

Aaron swallowed down the sickening feeling that was rising up inside of him. How much longer was he going to be able convince Holly that he was straight. It didn't take long for Adam to start running his mouth to his girlfriend, so how soon was it going to be before he started telling other people? He needed to keep the younger teen quiet. But How?

"Come on." Aaron said, lacing his fingers with Holly's before leading her back upstairs. He was going to have to make sure that he left no room for questioning on Holly's part.

Holly giggled as she followed the young mechanic back to her bedroom, ditching her shirt as soon as she stepped foot inside her room and locked the door behind herself. Never mind that Adam was only down the hall. She had no sooner locked the door, Aaron tugged her back towards him, both falling onto the bed.

"There's no way you're gay." Holly whispered in between the kisses that she trailed down Aaron's neck and collarbone as she straddled the teen on her bed.

No, of course there wasn't, Aaron thought. Adam was just talking rubbish. Holly's statement, made him want to prove Adam wrong even more. He placed his hands on the slim girl's hips and flipped them over, so he was on top, leaning over the dark haired teen who held a surprised devilish glint in her eye.

"Course not." Aaron growled before sucked on the side of Holly's neck leaving a mark clear for everyone to see.

Aaron had been away with his uncle for two weeks. He had told Holly that he was going with Cain to help him collect a few things for one of his contacts in Europe. He hadn't been exactly clear on what exactly they would be doing, or where they would be going for certain but he did mention that they were planning on covering the majority of Europe. His uncle was doing a favour for a friend that had helped him out of many sticky situations in the past. And it was in those two weeks that Holly found herself nervously sat in the bathroom at Butler's farm waiting. Her legged jumped up and down as she perched herself on the edge of the bath tub, elbow resting on her knee while she nibbled anxiously at her nails. She checked the time on her phone last time, before placing it back in her pocket and standing up. Slowly she walked towards the sink and picked up the white stick balanced on the side. She was scared. She couldn't look at it. Her breathing was hard, as her hands trembled and her heart beat double time. But she knew she had to find out. She had to find out whether she was pregnant or not.

Two pink lines. Two pink lines as clear as day, stared back at her. Her stomach dropped. What was she going to do? She's only eighteen. She couldn't cope with a child, a child that was very much Aaron's. Neither of them wanted to get serious. Things were definitely set to get serious if she kept the child she was now going to carry.

A/N – I'm back with another fanfic! I hope you enjoy this one just as much as terrified as I have many big plans and ideas set up for this one. At first it may seem similar in some parts to the storyline we saw on our screens but of course there will be a big twist! How will it all affect their future? Thank you so much for the lovely reviews and author/story alerts on Terrified! I miss writing a chapter here and there for it :( But I have this one to focus on now, once I get into the swing of it!


	2. Chapter 2

Aaron had been back from his trip with Cain, for nearly a week now and in that he had barely seen Holly. It was like she was holding him away at arms length. He had seen her briefly when he had returned home to find her in The Woolpack where he had given her the gift he had last minute brought on their way back through France. It had been had been a small silver bracelet with an ifle tower charm. She had seemed happy at the time, pleased to see him back in Emmerdale and thankful for the gift she had received. But since then he had barely seen her. He had bumped into her a few times in between college and work, but not enough time for them to talk or hang out properly and whenever Aaron did suggest they did, the art student made up some excuse of a girl's night only or extra college work.

"Holly!" Aaron called out as he spotted his girlfriend wandering away from the bus stop. "Holly!"

The young mechanic jogged up to the bus stop from Viv's, to catch up with Holly. The other teen stopped walking and stood where they were waiting for Aaron to reach them. She thought she would manage to get home without bumping into the younger teen but luck wasn't on her side.

"Hi Aaron." Holly greeted, adjusting her scarf round her neck.

"Alright, haven't seen you for a while." Aaron said, standing in front of her.

"I know."

"Did you get my texts?" Aaron asked as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't text back . . . A lot of College work at the moment." Holly made up, shifting from foot to foot. She needed to get back home, so she could get ready and meet Roz in town.

"S'alright." Aaron sighed. ". . . Fancy a drink in The Woolpack?"

"I- I don't know Aaron."

"Come on. One quick one won't hurt." Aaron tried to persuade. He didn't know why Holly seemed to be avoiding him lately.

Holly bit her bottom lip. She couldn't fob him off again. Maybe one won't hurt, it might keep him off her back for a while. "Go on then." Holly agreed grudgingly.

"Nice one." Aaron grinned, offering his arm to her, so they could walk down to the pub together.

"So urmm. . . How's college at the moment?" Aaron asked awkwardly as they made their way down the village.

"Fine." Holly said quickly before reconsidering her answer. "It's okay. Just a lot of work on at the moment. It's alright for some of us who only have it one day a week."

"Hey! You make it sound easy." Aaron exclaimed.

"Sorry. How much is there to learn about fixing cars?" Holly teased.

"A lot actually, I can't see you stuck underneath a car getting dirty." Aaron laughed as he held the door to the pub open for her.

"True, I'll stick to paint and sketches book, thanks."

"Look, you take a seat and I'll get the drinks in." Aaron told her when they got into the bar. "Same as usual yeah?"

"Actually, Aaron, can I have a coke instead please." Holly asked the teen.

"Yeah sure." The young mechanic answered a little puzzled.

"Thanks."

The two teens sat at the back of the pub trying to make conversation every now again as they sipped their drinks. Holly sticking to her coke whilst Aaron, only just legal to drink alcohol, enjoyed his larger. The atmosphere between them was strained and it was mainly down to Holly. She wasn't making things easy for the young mechanic. She was only half listening to what he was saying, and Aaron was a man of few words who found himself doing most of the talking as the art student stared off into space. Holly couldn't help herself from getting distracted. She had a lot on her mind. She couldn't seem to get over what had happened two weeks ago. She would never forget the moment when she saw those two pink lines staring back at her.

"You okay?" Aaron asked his girlfriend straight out when she failed to answer him for the fourth time in a row.

"Hmm? Yeah fine." Holly answered finishing off the last of her coke.

"You sure?" Aaron questioned as he played with a beer matt in his hand. "You just seem to be else where right now."

"Yeah, sorry, loads of-."

"-Loads of college work I know." Aaron sighed dropping the beer matt. He was sick of the same excuse. Ever since he had returned home from Europe, Holly had been a little off with him. He couldn't work out what he had done wrong. "Why don't we go out somewhere tonight?" He suggested. They needed to sort whatever was going on between them. They had been fine before. Now things were strained. "We could go into town, get something to eat, see a movie, or go to a few clubs? You decide."

"No Aaron, I can't." Holly told him.

"Why?"

"I've got to go home. I shouldn't really have come here in the first place." Holly explained. "I have too much work from college to finish."

"One night won't hurt." Aaron protested. He just wanted to spend one night with his girlfriend, it wasn't much to ask for.

"Deadline is tomorrow. Sorry, maybe another time." Holly lied. "I've got to go."

"But-."

"Bye Aaron." She said before leaving the pub.

"Bye."

Holly didn't go home. She walked straight up to the bus stop and caught the next bus to Hotten, getting off at the closest stop to her best friend's house. Ten minutes, after getting off the bus she found herself knocking on Roz's front door waiting to be allowed in. The two teenage girls sat in the lounge, with the house to themselves as they munched on Pizza Roz had ordered earlier.

"You're going to have to tell the dad, you know." Roz said, a few minutes after Holly had spilled her secret to her.

"I know." Holly sighed. "But he's too young, he's not going to want to know."

"How do you know that?" Roz questioned. The dad had a right to know.

"You haven't met him. He's a chav, complete opposite to what I usually go for." Holly explained. "He's not going to want anything to do with it or me."

"If you say so, what made you go for him in the first place?" Roz laughed, picking up another slice of pizza.

Holly shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know really. "Maybe because he's my brother's best mate and neither my parents would like him."

Roz laughed. "Holly!"

"What? Doesn't matter now, I'm going to end things." She told the blonde haired girl.

"And what are you going to do about the baby? It's going to be pretty obvious before long." Roz stated, staring at where her friend would soon have a visible bump.

"Abortion. I'm too young for a kid." Holly shrugged off as if it were nothing. "I'll finish things with Aaron and get rid of the baby before anyone finds out. Simple."

"Got it all figured out." Roz sighed.

The next morning Aaron was in the café when he bumped into Adam. He had just ordered a coffee and bacon roll from Viv when the young farmer strolled in with his usual light blue overalls tied round his waist.

"Had fun with our Holly last night did you?" Adam commented when he spotted the young mechanic.

"You what?" Aaron shot back, confused about what his former best friend was talking about.

"You and Holly, last night? She didn't get in till six this morning." Adam explained.

"News to me. I wasn't with her last night." Aaron snapped. What the hell was she playing at? She told him she had college work to finish.

"Oh." Adam said sheepishly, feeling he had just put his foot in it for his sister.

"Bacon roll and coffee." Viv announced placing the items on the counter between her and Aaron.

"Thanks." Aaron mumbled before pushing past Adam and out of the café.

"Aaron!" Adam called after him. He didn't want to cause any trouble for his sister. She had been a lot quieter lately and he thought her going out last night would have done her some good.

Aaron wasted no time, finding his phone as soon as he got back to the garage, so he could send his girlfriend a text. He wanted to know exactly what was going on. Why did she have to feel as though she needed to lie to him about where or what she was doing? He wasn't turning into a possessive boyfriend was he?

**Where were u last night. Jst bumped in2 Adam. A x**

_Sorry Aaron, Roz needed me last night. She was really upset. Holly xxxx _

**Thts ok. C u later yh? A x **

_Maybe, in class right now. Can't talk. Holly xx _

That was fine. So she was helping a friend out, big deal. He wasn't going to stop her seeing friends. By the way Adam had said it, it seemed as though she was out partying all night after turning down his offer to go out.

"Aaron! Are you going to do any work today, or am I paying you stand around all day?" Cain shouted at him from across the forecourt.

"Yeah, alright, shut up." Aaron snapped, tucking his phone back in his pocket before grabbing a wrench from the side.

Later that day, Aaron had finished off early from work so he could meet Holly off of the bus from College. He quickly went home to get washed and changed out of his oily clothes into a fresh set and sat in the bus stop waiting for the bus to roll up. Sure enough, ten minutes later Holly's bus stopped in front of the bus stop and the dark haired girl walked off, a little surprised to find the young mechanic meeting her off the bus.

"Alright?" Aaron greeted, standing up so he could give her a one arm hug.

"Yeah, you? How come you're meeting me off the bus?" Holly asked pulling back.

Aaron shrugged. "Just wanted to. Fancy the pub tonight?"

Holly shook her head. No she couldn't. She needed to end things now. She couldn't keep leading the young mechanic on. "Aaron, we need to talk." She said.

"And we will, how about in the pub, because it's freezing out here." Aaron told her stuffing his hands further into his pockets to warm them up.

"No Aaron, we need to talk now. Not in front of other people." Holly told him firmly, walking into the bus shelter and taking a seat. She wasn't going to continue until Aaron was sat beside her and listening.

"Alright, you're worrying me now." Aaron laughed nervously, taking a seat beside her on the bench.

"I don't think this is working out-." Holly started.

"Don't say that!" Aaron interrupted. "We are, this is working."

"No, it's not Aaron. We're just not right for each other." Holly continued, she needed to do this. "We're completely different people."

"Is this because of what Adam was saying before, because I thought you believed me. He's only trying to split us up." Aaron protested. He didn't want Holly to break up with him. He hoped that it wasn't because she believed what Adam had been saying about him.

"No, of course I don't believe what Adam said. It's not because of that. I just don't think we're going to last." Holly said. Why couldn't Aaron just accept it and move on.

"I can try harder." Aaron tried. He needed to make things work with Holly. If he had a girlfriend it wouldn't make people question his sexuality, it wouldn't make him question his sexuality. If he had a girl on his arm then that made him straight.

"No Aaron!" Holly snapped. "It's not going to work, end of. We're over." She said firmly standing up.

"Holly!" Aaron called after her.

"No Aaron. We're finished." Holly shouted over her shoulder as she walked away.

Aaron sat at the bus stop for quite some time, cursing Adam for ruining his relationship with Holly. He bet it was Adam who had been talking more crap behind his back about him to Holly. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? Now the whole village was going to find out sooner or later. Everyone was going to know that he tried to kiss his best mate.

He needed a drink. Pulling himself together, Aaron made his way down to The Woolpack.

"Pint." Aaron ordered when Diane approached him at the bar.

"Excuse me?" Diane said. She wasn't used to rude customers.

"Pint." Aaron repeated, slamming his money down on the bar.

"Sorry, I don't serve customers who have forgotten their manners." Diane told the teen.

"Are you going to serve me or not?" Aaron snapped, causing most of the pub to turn his way.

"Not if you speak to me or any of my staff like that!" Diane said firmly, fixing the teen with a stern look. "I don't tolerate badly behaved boys like your self."

"You what?" Aaron growled at her. What exactly did she mean by that?

"Hey, mate, calm down." Adam tried to calm as he stepped up beside him. Aaron hadn't noticed the young farmer sitting in the pub when he entered.

"Calm down? –It's your fault I'm like this!" Aaron hissed at his best mate, shoving him in the process.

Adam stumbled back a step before looking back at the young mechanic with pure confusion. "What are you talking about? Whatever I'm meant to have done, I'm sorry mate."

"Sorry? That's not gonna get her back is it?" Aaron shot at Adam, drawing what little attention he didn't have already in the pub towards them.

"Get who back- what Holly? Has she broken up with you?" Adam questioned trying to piece it all together. It was news to him. He knew his sister had seemed a little off with Aaron the past few days since he'd gotten back but he never thought it would come to this.

"Like you don't already now! Bet you happy now." Aaron sneered before he over stepped the mark. "Bet your really happy now that your slapper of a sister has ended it with me!"

"Careful what you say about her, mate." Adam warned. He knew Aaron would and should be upset over the break up but that didn't mean he had to listen to him slagging his sister off.

"Or what? You finally got her to finish things with me. Whispering lies and pathetic stories in to her ear." Aaron growled. "It was only a matter of time before she started listening to her dumb pathetic little brother."

"Maybe you should take him home." Diane interjected. There was no point the young mechanic sticking around for the night, she wasn't going to serve him and it seemed he would be better off at home talking about it to Paddy, who was known by the village to be Aaron's un-biological dad.

"Yeah, come on mate." Adam said resting a hand on one of Aaron's arms to guide him out of The Woolpack.

"Get off of me!" Aaron shot at Adam, shrugging out from under his hand. "It's your fault that you're slut of a sister finished with me."

"What did you just say-?" Adam fumed. He'd let the first name slip from Aaron's mouth unnoticed but not this time.

"-Woah, Woah! I think it's quite clear what he just said." Eli, Aaron's cousin, interrupted the pair as he stepped between them. It was becoming quite clear to everyone else that there was going to be a full blown fight between the two before long. "Come, let's go somewhere else. Go on, get out soft lad! Before you get face rearranged." He ordered the younger man, pushing him towards the doors as he sent a sheepish smirk over his shoulder towards Diane and Adam.

A/N – Second update for today to get a kick start! Let me know if you like it so far? All reviews and feedback is such a great help in how I shape my fanfics!


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Aaron woke feeling a little delicate to say the least. He felt like his skull was going to split into two as he hit his alarm off and rolled off of his bed. The young mechanic had only managed to stumble upstairs after catching a late bus back last night in his drunken state, passing out on top of his made bed still fully dressed. He toed off his boots and shrugged his jacket it off slowly, trying not to move to much because every movement only caused his headache to throb a little harder. He found a fresh set of clothes from a laundry pile shoved onto his window sill before crossing the hall to the bathroom. He knew Paddy would already be downstairs in the surgery next door at work when he usually woke and got sorted for work in the mornings, he always was. So he didn't need to worry about pumping into the larger than life vet. Marlon had been at work the previous evening so no doubt the chef would have informed Paddy on the events that took place between him and Adam. Aaron didn't want to have to deal with the lecture of keeping his cool and being on his best behaviour from Paddy. He was suffering enough with his hangover from hell.

Ten minutes later, he was finished in the shower and dressed to go downstairs to find something to help him get over his hangover. He couldn't remember how much he had drunk the previous night. All he did know was that he was throwing them back, without a care. Up until the point of him arguing outside a night club with Eli and except from the fight with Adam in The Woolpack he couldn't remember where he had gone, what he had done or anything else of that night. It couldn't such a bad thing he couldn't remember most of it. He was just going to be glad when he finally got rid of the hangover that was threatening to put a dampener on his day, and he hoped he could maybe put things right with Adam and Holly. Aaron had done a lot of thinking as he wondered round the streets of Hotton waiting for the late bus back. He couldn't believe he had taken out girl problems on his best mate, you just didn't do that. Besides it wasn't Adam's fault that Holly had broken up with him, as much as he wanted it to be his fault. It wasn't. It was his own fault. He just wasn't what Holly was looking for and he was surprised that it hadn't ended any sooner. The young mechanic had to force himself to act interested in her, it wasn't right. He shouldn't of had to do that. Holly was gorgeous. She was a year older than him, intelligent, artistic, long dark hair and big brown eyes, why hadn't he found that attractive?

Aaron was just pushing his feet into a pair of black trainers in his bedroom when he saw his phone go off on his side table alerting him of a new text message from his Uncle. Great, what did he want now? He wasn't late, he had another twenty minutes before he was needed at work. He hoped Cain wasn't contacting him to tell him he needed him to do over time. He didn't know if he could get through a normal days work if he didn't get over the counter painkillers in system any time soon, let alone over time on top. He picked up his phone and opened the message.

Aaron get 2 mine NOW. Dnt say a word to any1 EVEN Charity, marrying her 2day. Surprise wedding. Got a suit 4 u. Day off work. Cain

Cain, getting married? He was reading things properly wasn't he? His uncle was the last person he expected to get married, let alone spring a surprise wedding on his soon-to-be-wife. At least he was getting a day off and if the marriage didn't happen, it was worth seeing the look on his uncle's face when his aunt turned him down on the spot. There was bound to be some scene created today to amuse him, whether it was Cain panicking over Wedding arrangements, Charity throwing a tantrum that she couldn't pick her dress or someone else getting blind drunk and making an idiot of themselves. It wasn't something to miss out on. He quickly sent a text back that he was now leaving his in a few minutes and in a matter of seconds his phone buzzed in his hand to signal that Cain had texted him back.

Dnt u dare tell any1 else. Family ONLY. I mean it. Cain

Who else was he going to tell? He wasn't on talking to terms to Adam or Holly at the moment. Adam being his only friend just proved how much of a sad git he was. Even sadder now that they were most probably not on talking terms, he was going to have to fix that before he got to Cain's.

Downstairs, Aaron had just finished off two huge glasses of cold water after taking some painkillers and was then forcing plain toast down his throat when Paddy walked through to the kitchen in a very up beat cheerful mood.

"Morning, how're you today then?" Paddy asked as he plonked a folded newspaper down onto the kitchen table.

"Fine." Aaron grumbled round a mouthful of dry toast without looking the other man's way.

"I was worried sick about you last night." Paddy told the teen. "I was up all nigh waiting for you to get in."

"What time did I get in then?" Aaron questioned, knowing that the vet was exaggerating. He hadn't been up all night.

". . . I-I don't know, I must have dropped off at some point. But that's not the point!" Paddy stumbled. "You were out at all hours last night."

"And?" Aaron smirked before he was cut off by Marlon bonding into Smithy cottage.

"Have you heard the news?" The lanky Chef questioned Paddy with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"No what news?" Paddy quickly asked.

"Cain and Charity are getting married." Aaron told him, again with a mouthful of toast.

"What and you didn't tell me?" Paddy threw at Aaron.

"I just did." Aaron sighed, getting up from the kitchen table as he tried to find a sleeve in his hoodie to put on.

"Can I come? I'd love a day out, away from the surgery."

"Sorry, Family only." Aaron said pulling a fake closed mouthed grin.

"But- Marlon? . . . Can I?" Paddy asked turning to the other man.

Marlon shook his head. "Sorry Paddy, Cain will kill me if I let you come. You understand?"

The vet nodded his head a little defeated.

"Right I'm off." Aaron said before he left the two best friends to continue with whatever Marlon came over for.

As he walked down the village towards his Uncle house, Aaron tugged his hooded sweatshirt closer round his body to fight off the typical spring chill that lingered in the air. He had hoped to spot Holly or Adam walking about on his way to Cain's, but sadly neither of them had decided to wonder the village early that morning. He knocked twice on Debbie's door, before walking through. He knew Debbie was on a school run with Sarah and most probably Noah too, and Charity was most probably still asleep, so he didn't expect his Uncle to answer the door if he knew it was him. He found Cain standing in the kitchen busily chatting away on his phone, one arm flung around as he explained to who ever on the other end what he wanted to happen. Whilst he waited for the older mechanic to be finished with whatever he was doing, the teen crashed down on the sofa in the lounge and made himself comfortable.

A little while later Cain had come off the phone and stormed straight upstairs, without saying a word to Aaron before returning a few seconds later, holding a suit in his hand.

"Now, keep it down because she's asleep upstairs." Cain told him before he started, with a threatening look. "She thinks I'm going to a funeral this afternoon. She saw my suit last night. So if she sees you with this, tell her your going with me, okay?"

"Yeah sure, that's not black?" Aaron said eyeing the light grey suit that his uncle was holding out to him to take.

Cain glared at him. "Well done, smart boy. It's grey. I'm not having you wearing some cheap black suit at my wedding, it's designer or something. I knew you wouldn't have a suit so I got a mate to hook me up with one a couple of days ago for you."

"Ah thanks Cain." Aaron grinned taking the suit and twirling the hanger it hung on in his hand so he could have a look at it all over.

"No problem. Don't want anybody in trackies or hoodies at this wedding." Cain told him, sending him a pointed look. "This has got to be special."

"Alright Cain." Aaron chuckled at his Uncle's obvious stress. "Where and when is this all happening then? How are you going to get her there?"

"Don't worry I've got it all sorted-." Cain told him before stopping mid-sentence and listening intently for any noise in the house. They could hear Charity just getting up and a bedroom door open. "Right, go to Ryan that he's on his own today, come back in a few minutes when I've gotten Charity to take a long bath."

Aaron raised a knowing eyebrow.

"Not like that!" Cain shot at him.

"What?-." Aaron started.

"Just do it!" Cain snapped snatching the suit from his nephew's hands and shoving him towards the front door.

Grumbling about his Uncle Aaron made his way out of Debbie's house and next door to the garage where Ryan had already opened up and had most cars on the forecourt ready to be serviced and fixed up that day. He spotted the older mechanic hunched over a punto just outside the garage as he walked across the gravel forecourt.

"Alright." He called over to catch his attention.

Ryan straightened up and turned to Aaron as he approached him, wiping his hands on the thighs of his overalls. "Nice of you to join!" Ryan joked.

"Yeah sorry about that, was over at Cain's. Look's like you're here on your own today." Aaron informed him, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I'd make the most of it if I were you, put your fit up and have a break while Debbie and Cain aren't here."

"Oh, why is it just me?" Ryan asked with a shrug.

"Family thing going on. I wouldn't ask." Aaron laughed. "I'll see you later yeah?" He quickly said to Ryan as he spotted Holly across the road in Layla's shop. He needed to apologise for mouthing off in the pub last night about her.

"Aright see you later Aaron-."

"Holly! Holly! Wait up." Aaron called over to her as he tried to get her to stop so he could catch up to her.

"What do you want Aaron?" Holly sighed, rolling her eyes as she stopped just a few metres from him. "I heard about what you said in the pub last night."

"-Yeah, about that, that's what I've come over to apologise about." Aaron said. "I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean a word of what I said. I was just upset, angry and I just took it out on you and Adam, and Eli, later on."

"And you think that's a good enough excuse to what you said?" Holly snapped at him. He had forgotten how unforgiving she could be. It had taken him quite a long time to convince her to go out with him in the first place.

"No, I-I. . ." Aaron took a big sigh before continuing. "I'm really sorry for what I said in the pub last night and I never meant a word of it and I know it was wrong of me to take whatever I had going on out on your or anyone else. . . Forgive me?"

Holly rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever." She sighed.

Aaron grinned. "Hang on, I've got something to show you!" He said as he ran across the road, back towards Debbie's.

"What? Am I supposed to follow you or something?" Holly called after him standing where he had left her.

"Oh god no!" Aaron laughed turning to face her when he reached Debbie's gate. "Charity's in the bath." He told her pulling a face.

Maybe if she saw him in the suit, he could convince her that they could go back out together. That he could make it work. It was a slim shot, but it was worth wasn't it? Nothing left to lose. He needed Holly. She was gorgeous wasn't she? What other normal guy wouldn't want her?

He quickly nipped inside and grabbed the suit where it hung from the banister and quickly ditched his hoodie for the jacket before darting back outside unseen by any of his family to show holly, still clutching the suit trousers on their hanger.

"What do you think?" He asked a confused Holly.

"Urm. . . nice." Holly said still confused as to why he ex-boyfriend was now standing outside with a suit jacket on over his overalls.

"For Cain and Charity's wedding." Aaron told her. "It's designer and everything."

"Very nice, not sure it quite goes with the overalls though." Holly laughed, less confused now.

"Obviously." Aaron sighed, rolling his eyes not quite getting Holly's joke. "Are you free this afternoon? Maybe we could go together?" He rushed. "Cain won't mind." He would.

Holly shook her head. "I don't think that would be a good idea. But thank you though." She said politely. "Have a good time."

"Yeah sure." Aaron said, deflated.

"I best be getting back." Holly said vaguely gesturing behind her before slowly walking away.

"Yeah course, see you later." Aaron said before turning round to take the jacket off and put it back where he found it before Cain killed him.

Later that day, all family members had been informed off Cain's plans and a few had been roped into helping. Debbie had to quickly find a bridesmaid dress for Sarah and a suit for Noah before picking them up from school, whisking them back home to change before getting into Hotton just in time. Chas had found a dress for Charity to wear a few days back and Aaron had been told to make sure that everyone turned up who was supposed to that afternoon, while Cain still rushed round like a madman. It didn't help when they got to the venue and where all standing outside waiting for Charity and Chas to arrive, late back from their shopping day and massage.

"Go find out where they are." Cain snapped at Aaron who stood beside him, dressed smartly in his light grey suit, black tie and white shirt.

"Why me?" Aaron groaned.

"Because I said so!" Cain ordered glaring at the teen before he began to walk out of the car park towards the street.

Aaron pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to his mother as he walked down the street, asking where she was. Cain had trusted his younger sister to keep charity away and lure her to the registrar office that afternoon on time. So far, she was failing on time keeping. When he looked up from his phone, having just pressed sent, he caught a glimpse of Holly across the street, standing on her own, looking a little anxious. Before he got a chance to question what she was doing on her own around Hotton where there were no obvious reason for her to be, all the shops were in the centre of Hotton, his bum was nipped from behind. Quickly he swung round to see who it was, only to come face to face with Charity. How awkward, his aunt just squeezed his ass!

"Alright ladies." Aaron said a little cockily as he tugged on a label of his suit jacket.

"Oh Aaron love . . ." His mother sighed looking at him with a look that only mother's could do. One which made her eye's fill with tears. "You look like a proper grown up. . .My baby!"

"Don't start." Aaron cringed as he pulled a face. He couldn't stand it when his mother cried.

"You're going to that funeral with Cain aren't you?" Charity commented as if she knew the answer for certain.

The smart teen laughed. "Something like that. Come on." He said nodding his head behind him as he turned and began walking back.

Across the road Holly stood on her own, unaware that she had been seen by Aaron, as she desperately tried to get into contact with her best friend, Roz. She was stood outside the family clinic, fortunately Aaron hadn't noticed. She hadn't been able to go through with the abortion. She hadn't even been able to step inside. Holly had made the appointment last night whilst everyone was out and she had found no problem calling the clinic and arranging a time and date to get rid of what she and Aaron had created. However it had been completely different as she tried to walk inside in the building. She just couldn't do it. She couldn't walk inside the building and she couldn't go through with abortion. What she and Aaron had created wasn't a meaningless thing, it was a life, it was going to a person. She couldn't kill that life off before it started. Holly had found herself racked with guilt.

Now she was scared. She was petrified. She thought it was a simple fix. Pregnant and didn't want the child? Have a abortion will she could. But she found herself that she couldn't. It wasn't right for her to do so. But now she was going to have to follow through with it all. How was she going to tell her parents? How was going to be able to keep it secret from the village, rumours spread like wildfire and she didn't want Aaron to find out. She just hoped that when she got hold of her friend she could talk her round into walking back round and into the family clinic.

"Roz?" She cried down the phone.

"What is it? What's the matter holly?" Roz panicked on the other end.

"I-I couldn't go through with it." Holly sobbed.

A/N – Sorry for the wait, I struggled to get this chapter kick started. But I hope you like it and thank you for the great feedback so far, really helps me with where to take it further.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite the disappointing out come of the wedding that Cain had tried to threaten Charity into, Aaron was glad it was all over. He had been bored half to death, sitting around waiting for Charity to get ready for her to then change her mind half way through the ceremony and declare that she didn't want to marry Cain at all. He often wondered why he couldn't have a normal family. Where nobody threatened the other to marry them, the woman didn't go off and have affairs with numerous other men and abandoned their children or where nobody ended up in jail or with a criminal record. Adam seemed to have the perfect set up. A mum and a dad happily married to each other, two sisters who he got on well with and a nice happy home. None of them ever got in trouble with the police and his mother didn't walk out on them when they were young and his dad hadn't kicked any of them out. Plus he had himself a good relationship with Scarlett, they both worshipped the ground the other walked on. He often found himself jealous over his best friend. If he got offered the chance to switch lives with Adam, he'd take it in a heart beat, no question's asked.

"What you doing out here on your own?" Victoria asked making him jumped as she walked out of the back of the pub.

"Just having a smoke." Aaron told her, gesturing to the lit cigarette in his hand already half gone.

"Didn't fancy being in there with your family then." Victoria teased, taking a seat beside him on the picnic bench.

"Not really." Aaron shrugged, taking another drag. "Do you fancy a drink?"

"I'm fifteen and my step-mum owns the pub." Victoria told him full of sarcasm.

"Lucky I'm a responsible adult then." Aaron smirked, already getting to his feet. He left Victoria sitting outside while he went back in to get them both a drink.

"Here you are." He said returning a few minutes later, placing the drinks onto the table in front of them as he sat back down again.

"What's this?" Victoria said eyeing the dark drink that looked a lot like coke. She had been expecting something a lot different to that, something with a little more kick.

Aaron took a sip of his before answering. "Vodka and coke." He told her. "Don't worry maizie served me, so if Diane comes out here you can tell her it's just coke."

"Very smart Livesy." Victoria winked having some of her own drink.

"That's £2.40." Aaron teased.

"Cheeky!"

"Sponger." Aaron joked, rubbing his hands together to keep warm.

"It's not like you have anyone else to buy for." Victoria joked, regretting the words as soon as they left her mouth. They had all heard about his split from Holly. "Sorry! That came out wrong."

Aaron sighed. "Don't worry about it."

"I heard you know, about you and Holly." Victoria continued.

Aaron shrugged as he took another sip of his drink. "Yeah?"

"Is that you putting on a hard man act?" Victoria smirked.

"She's just a daft slapper and I'm well rid of her." Aaron told her. Why couldn't everyone just drop it. He got dumped by Holly, end of.

"So yeah then." She laughed.

"Whatever you say."

"So, Charity's in there drowning her sorrows is she?" Victoria teased.

"She hasn't go any, it's Cain that has, made a right idiot of himself." Aaron corrected her.

"Say that to his face would ya?"

"Yeah." Aaron scoffed. "On a webcam, from new Zealand." He said making Victoria laugh.

"Stupid Idea though, getting married, don't you reckon?"

"I know I'll never do it." Aaron sighed. He couldn't manage to keep a girl like Holly interested in him for more than a month. What chance did he have?

"Yeah well I could have told you that." Victoria teased. "Anyway, it's not worth the hassle being with someone, it's too complicated."

"Yeah," Aaron nodded, feeling the effects of the double vodka he asked for in his drink.

"I'm gonna wait till I'm twenty eight till I get married." Victoria told him.

Aaron wasn't really paying attention anymore. He was still stuck on what Victoria had said before about him never getting married. Was it that obvious? Did nobody think he could settle down with a girl?

". . . don't ya?"

"I don't know." Aaron snapped, not entirely sure what she talking about any more.

"Right I'm going back inside. It's freezing out here and your as much fun as. . . well always." Victoria said sarcastically already raising from her seat.

"Wait Victoria . . ." Aaron called after her before she reached the back door. He didn't want to be left on his own to listen to the raging thoughts running through his head anymore.

"What?" She snapped turning on her heel just as she reached the back door.

Aaron jumped up from his seat walked over to her, pushing her against the wall and capturing her lips against his.

"What you doing!" Victoria exclaimed shoving him away.

"I thought you wanted it?" Aaron protested. She had been coming on to him all night, teasing him and joking with him.

"Yeah well, I don't." She told him opening the back door and disappearing behind it.

Great. Aaron rubbed a hand down his face before taking a seat at the picnic table again. He swallowed down the rest of his drink in one and pulled out another cigarette. Another girl he couldn't get to be interested in him.

He spent the rest of the night, getting free drinks from the bar and taking them back outside. Where he could be away from everybody else and sit on his own, trying to figure out what he was trying to do. Despite the free bar, he made sure to keep a limit to his drinks. He didn't want to end up in a drunken mess he had done a few nights previous, the hangover after was still fresh in his mind. So in between each drink, he smoked another cigarette, stubbing them out when they came to the end and making patterns with them along the surface of the picnic table. After his seventh drink, he called it a night. Returning home to Smithy Cottage he was careful not to wake Paddy as he entered the house. Paying a little attention to Clyde before he went upstairs to bed, where he struggled to fall asleep. The next few days he planned to keep his head down and avoid any situation where he could bump into either Holly or Victoria.

A/N – This is a very short and crappy update. I'm using it as a filler to get to the next update I have in mind. I'm trying to include the storylines that happened as well as trying to put my own storyline into this as well which will become clearer and dominant in the next few updates. Just bear with me. Thank you for the feedback so far, it helps so much!


	5. Chapter 5

Wednesday morning, things still didn't seem to be getting any better for Aaron. He'd managed to keep out of everyone's way during the first part of the week, walking Clyde early in the mornings before going to work, to then spend his evenings walking his Alsatian through the many forgotten footpaths surrounding the fields and woods outside Emmerdale. At least with Clyde he wasn't made to feel any different or unwanted. He was through with trying to figure girls out. Unfortunately on Wednesday morning, on his to college, he popped into the cafe to grab some breakfast before getting the bus he bumped into Holly. She was stood at the counter ordering a cup of tea when he walked in and saw her standing in there. He was going to turn straight back round, not in the mood for an awkward confrontation with his ex. He hadn't quite gotten that much sleep the previous night, waking up in a unstable mood already. Plus it was a Wednesday, he hated college. However, Holly turned round by the sound of the bell above the door, to see who had entered and caught him. Deciding to try and put things behind them, Aaron politely smiled at her as he too made his way towards the counter. Instead of being polite also and returning the civil smile, Holly blanked him, paid for her coffee and left without saying a word to him sending him into a spin about what he had done wrong now. He'd apologised to her about mouthing off in the cafe. Surely she wasn't still annoyed with him for that? How hard was it to smile back?

"Some obviously still hasn't forgiven you." Viv commented from her side of the counter.

"Shut up Viv." Aaron warned, not in the mood.

"I'm only saying. Maybe next time a girl finishes with you, don't go bad mouthing her in her local for everyone to hear." Viv carried on, feeling she knew best.

"Just keep out of things that don't concern you." Aaron spat at her. Why couldn't nobody in this village keep out of his business.

"Alright! I was just-." Viv exclaimed.

"You know what, forget it." Aaron said storming out of the cafe and heading straight to the bus stop. He wasn't going to stand around and listen the village gossip going on at him. He was sick of it.

Aaron had been at college for an all of two hours before the other's on his course began to get a bit restless, deciding to make jibes at each other. Most of the time he decided to keep out of the banter that often flew round the workshop floor. He wasn't interested in mucking around with them, especially today. With little sleep, no breakfast, a run in with his ex and unhelpful comments from Viv he was in foul mood. He just wanted to keep to himself today, he found himself wanting to be like that most of the time recently. Their lecturer had just walked out the door to go fetch a few more car parts that were needed to repair the engine on a punto when the comments began to get directed his way. At first they were trying to get him involved, just joking around with light handed off comments that could be taken as a joke. But then when the teen didn't pay attention to them, but glare at them they decided to change tactics and make digs at him as he continued fixing a section of the engine the lecturer had told him to.

"Oi, Aaron how's the girlfriend?" Kevin, the oldest on the course flew at him. "I bet she was a good bang, I wouldn't have minded a go-."

"Shut it Kevin." Aaron warned, keeping his head down as he carried on with his task.

"Touched a nerve have we?" Another boy on his course called out. "Don't like to share do you?"

They were disgusting. "Just shut it the both of you."

"Nah, we're a little surprised that you managed to get a girl like that." Kevin carried on. "She's above your league mate."

"I'm not you're mate." Aaron gritted through his teeth.

"Aw, yes I am. We're best buds Aaron! Otherwise who else would tell you that they saw your girlfriend outside the family planning clinic the other day." Kevin spilled, a huge grin plastered on his face when he saw the look of confusion spread across Aaron's face.

"You what?" Aaron snapped.

"You're girlfriend, Holly, stood outside the family planning Clinic the other day or two back. Haven't gotten her preggers have you?" Kevin continued. "I'm surprised if you have. Didn't think you had it in ya."

Family planning Clinic? Pregnant? They had always made sure they had been careful. She knew her parents would kill her and him if she ever did get pregnant. She couldn't be.

". . . though, I see she saw sense and thought to get rid of it." Kevin continued. "Who would want you as their baby's dad?-."

Kevin didn't get to continue any further. Aaron had launched himself across the room and rugby tackled the taller of the two to the floor, settling a hard punch the older teen's jaw, knocking his head side ways.

"I said shut up!" Aaron shouted aiming another punch into the larger teen's nose.

Everyone else on the course that were inside the workshop at the time, stood still and watched the fight that had suddenly broke out. All intrigued to see who would gain the upper hand. None of them bothered to step in and break it up, even when Kevin managed to flip the smaller teen onto the floor beneath him and aim a few well placed punches to Aaron's torso and face.

"What the hell is going on?" The lecturer yelled as soon as he entered the classroom catching the two, fighting on the floor, fists and feet being thrown everywhere. "Stop it right now!" He tried before rushing out of the workshop once more in search of more help. There was no way he was going to be able to pull apart two fully grown male teenagers tearing strips out of one and other.

"You're pathetic." Aaron spat as they broke apart momentarily to get back on their feet again.

Kevin laughed, wiping blood from beneath his nose. "No. That's you mate." He shot back, throwing himself at Aaron, tackling him into a set of metal drawers full of tools behind him, punching him a few more times.

Aaron managed to pull away slightly and punch Kevin in the side of the head stunning him for a short while, enough to grab his hoodie and ram him against the side of a car nearby and continue to attack him. He didn't even stop when two sets of arms wrapped round him and pulled him off of the older teen. He was panting raging mess as he tried to pull himself free of his restraints. He was just so angry.

"Aaron! Aaron! Calm down!" One of the two adults holding onto him shouted in his ear.

He didn't. He continued to fight against them as well. All he could see was Kevin smirking in the grasp of the lecturer, egging him to come at him.

"Come on, let's take him to my office." The other adult said, who was holding him.

The two adults, who were other lecturers on the same course, began to drag him away towards one of their offices. He began to calm down halfway there but they still didn't remove the iron grip they had on him. They couldn't run the risk of him turning round and running back to finish Kevin off. They were both a bloody mess. When they got to the office, the larger of the two adults closed the door behind them and stood in front of it, in his way if he decided to make a run for it. The other walked round to stand behind his desk, gesturing for Aaron to sit down as he began to pace backwards and forwards in the small space.

"Sit." He instructed.

Aaron did as he was told. He already knew he was in serious trouble. What was the point in making it worse? He couldn't fight anybody else right now.

"Oliver could you call ahead and maybe get an ambulance sorted out. No doubt Kevin and Mr Livesy here will need to be looked at." The lecturer behind the desk said to the one by the door.

"No." Aaron said. "Don't need looking at."

"You're a mess Aaron." Oliver said stunned by the mess that Kevin had created to Aaron.

"'m fine." Aaron told him.

"Very well, don't bother at all then Oliver." The other lecturer said. "I think it's just superficial injuries anyway."

"If that's all you dragged me in here for-." Aaron said standing up and moving to the door only to be stopped by Oliver.

"No it's not actually Mr Livesy." The older lecturer said.

"Look, I don't have time for this." Aaron snapped, feeling like he was being closed in. "Just let me out!"

"Tough. Sit back down." The older man said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk once more, only continuing when Aaron did in fact take a seat. "I'm sure you're aware that I'm Joseph Vince, head lecturer of this course and on this course we do not condone any acts of violence of any kind at all!"

Aaron let out a big breath. Here we go.

"So as it goes. I cannot not overlook, what two of my colleagues and I witnessed this morning. It is unacceptable behaviour." Joseph continued. "Not only did you behave recklessly on the workshop floor, endangering many people, but you also refused to calm down. It took two of us to restrain you from Mr Freeman. I have no choice but to suspend you until a decision is made upon whether we shall keep you on this course."

"Finished?" Aaron asked, seeming without a care. He was used to being kicked out. Kicked out of school, kicked out of his dad's, kicked out of Paddy's when his mum left and now kicked out of college. Same old.

"Attitude like that will not help sway you're wishes to stay on this course." Joseph told him.

"Yeah, well. . ." Aaron sighed. He didn't care. If he was honest he would be glad to get kicked off the course. He hated college. He only went because his mum forced him to and he couldn't be done with her having a go at him about it.

"If that's how you feel about it Mr Livesy." Joseph said getting to his feet. "Oliver will escort you from the premises to prevent you and Kevin from running into each other, and don't worry, the same action shall be taken against him."

Oliver escorted back into the workshop where he picked up his belongings and handed over the overalls he was wearing before escorting him to a bathroom to get cleaned up. He didn't want to walk round Hotton with blood on his face, earning himself stares and most probably questions by the police if they saw him. He would admit that Kevin had gotten him beat up pretty bad. There was a cut on the side of his face, on his cheek, where most of the blood that was drying on his face was from. A bruise on the other side on his jaw line and a few tender ribs to go with most probably what would be matching bruises on his arms and back come morning. He didn't waste any time cleaning up, he quickly wiped off the blood on his face and tried to scrub at a patch of blood on his collar before giving up and zipping his hoodie all the way up to hide it

Once out of college he didn't know what to do. He couldn't go home, he would only face questions from Paddy asking why he was home early, most probably jumping to the right conclusions when he saw the cuts and bruises on his face. He couldn't deal with all that. He was just going to have to wonder round Hotton all afternoon and when he did go home he'd have to hide up in his bedroom until he could think of a good enough excuse as to how he sustained the injuries he had.

By mid afternoon he found himself walking to a cafe and ordering himself something to eat and drink. The waitress had served him a funny look by the state of his face. He took his order to a quiet corner by the window and gazed outside as he ate, taking his time. He was in no rush to go back out and wonder round aimlessly with nothing to do. Waiting for time to pass seemed awfully slow and boring. He had been sitting in the cafe for an hour, only just finishing off the tall glass of coke when he spotted Holly walk past with her mate Roz who he had met a few times. Without thinking, Aaron ran out of the cafe and went to catch up with the two. He needed to know if what Kevin had said was true. Maybe it was why she had finished with him.

"Holly!" Aaron called out before he caught up enough to tap her on the shoulder.

"Aaron." Holly said turning round to face him, looking quite surprised.

"Can I have a word?" Aaron asked her, shooting a look to her friend Roz as a hint.

"What happened to you?" Holly asked ignoring his question, to interested in wanting to know how he managed to get so banged up since she last saw him.

"Doesn't matter, I really need a word with you Holly." Aaron pleaded.

"Fine, but you're gonna have to be quick, I've gotta be back at college in ten minutes." She told him.

"I see. I'll just be over then, shall I?" Roz announced before wondering away a few metres and getting her phone out to use.

"So what is it you want Aaron?" Holly asked when Aaron made no move to talk. "Because I haven't exactly got time for this."

"It's urm. . . I don't – It's just I don't really know how to-." Aaron began stumbling over his words. He wasn't going to ask her out straight.

"Just say it Aaron." Holly snapped.

"It's just. . . we were careful weren't we?" He asked quietly so nobody walking past could hear.

"What do you mean careful?" Holly snapped again. He didn't know did he?

"Some one at college saw you outside the family planning clinic the other day." Aaron told her. "I was just, you know, wondering if you were- that we didn't-."

"Have an accident? Don't worry I was there with a friend, I just stepped outside to take a call." Holly found herself saying before she could stop herself.

"Oh right. . . okay, that's great." Aaron said relieved. He couldn't cope with a kid. Neither of them could. They were too young, besides they weren't even together.

"Happy?" Holly smirked bitterly. "Now, if you don't mind. I've got to be getting back." She said before walking over to Roz, leaving Aaron.

He was just thankful for the whatever Kevin had been mouthing off about had been vicious rumours to get his temper going.

"What did he want?" Roz asked her friend as they carried on walking back to college.

"He asked if I was at the family planning clinic the other day." Holly answered.

"And what did you say?" Roz questioned. She knew her friend hadn't been able to go through with aborting the baby but she knew she didn't want Aaron involved.

"That I was. For a friend of course." Holly told her. "I'm not stupid. I thought he had found out for a minute there."

"Well he hasn't and he won't." Roz assured her.

"For how long for though?"

A/N – Thank you for such great feedback and letting me know what you think of this storyline. Its such a great help! I know this one is taking a while to kick into gear and get started but I have so many ideas!


	6. Chapter 6

Wednesday night, Aaron had gotten back just a little bit earlier than usual, racing up to his room while Paddy was still in the surgery so he didn't see the bruises and cut that now covered his face. He intended to stay up in his room all evening, hiding. That was until the caring older man began to knock on his bedroom door asking what he wanted for dinner.

"Aaron? What would like for dinner?" The older vet asked as he stood on the other side of the closed door. "I could cook some pizza or we could have pasta bake?"

"Nah, I'm alright Paddy. I'll get something later." Aaron told him as he stood beside the door, on edge in case the older man entered. He didn't want to agree to Paddy making him something because he knew he would have to go downstairs and eat with him.

"Nonsense, I'm cooking myself something so I might as well do you something as well." Paddy said a little concerned as to why the younger man didn't want anything to eat yet. The young mechanic usually ate anything in sight.

"Nah, I'm okay Paddy." Aaron tried to assure him.

"Aaron? What are you up to?" Paddy asked jumping to conclusions. In the past he had walked in on Aaron hiding Holly upstairs in his bedroom the two obviously close to getting up to something. He wouldn't put it past Aaron to have another girl holed up in his room.

"Nothing Paddy!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Well then open your door, I can't talk to you like this." Paddy said, noticing the way Aaron quickly answered.

"Can't you just leave me alone!" Aaron snapped. "Go back to making yourself something to eat."

"Aaron." Paddy warned before turning the handle and pushing the door slightly open before Aaron tried to push it closed again."Aaron!"

"Just leave me alone Paddy." Aaron shouted at him.

"No I won't. Something's up, other wise you wouldn't be hiding up here." Paddy said winning the struggle to open the door and peering inside. His mouth dropped open at the sight of Aaron. "What happened? You didn't get into a fight did you!"

"I was walking back from college and this guy started on me." Aaron lied. He couldn't tell him he'd been kicked off the course, he would only go tell his mum then she would be round in a shot having a go as well as him.

"Please tell me your worse off than him." Paddy pleaded, taking in the cut on Aaron's check and the dark bruises adorning his face.

"Oh thanks Paddy!" Aaron snapped.

"No, I didn't mean it like that! It's just I know what you're like when you fight." Paddy said having been witness to the many play fights that often broke out between him and Adam and the receiver of the 'playful' punches from the teen on the arm.

Aaron shrugged. "I dunno."

"Great." Paddy sighed. "Just wait till your mum finds out-."

"She's not going to find out. Aaron snapped warningly.

"She's your mother, she lives in the same village as you of course she's going to find out." Paddy told him.

"She's not because you're not going to say a word."

"Aaron, you can't honestly believe me not saying anything will stop her from finding out. Look at the state of you. It's a dead giveaway." Paddy laughed.

"I'll just avoid her for a bit."

"Good luck with that." He chuckled, before turning serious. "Are you injured anywhere else apart from the obvious?"

Aaron shook his head. "No." He told him. He didn't want Paddy fussing round him. He was fine.

"Okay then, just don't get into any more fights." The older vet warned him. "Otherwise you're going to get into serious trouble before long."

"I know, alright. Just go." Aaron sighed pushing the older man out of his room.

He wasn't so lucky when it came to his mother. She spotted him walking down the garage the next morning. He had left a little earlier than usual hoping the he wouldn't bump into anybody but she had saw him heading down the forecourt of the garage and had run up behind him to catch up. She had soon spun into a lecture when she saw the state of his face. She hovered round him as he unlocked the garage and sorted everything out, shouting his ear off as she had a go. He tried to tune her out, only paying attention to her when her volume increased and threatened to wake up half of the village. He flew at her to back off and leave him alone when she began to talk about Holly. She had heard about them breaking up and wasn't happy that she was the last to know, but she even less happy with Holly. She spouted horrible words when she thought the dark haired girl thought she was too good for her son. She wasn't happy with her. He warned her to not go any where near Holly. It was the least he needed her showing him up.

A few nights later and Aaron decided to go into town. He had only been out for a couple of hours by himself in and out of a few clubs, when he bumped into Andy and Ryan. He had been stood across the road from a loud pub, people spilled onto the pavements as the loud music thumped through the air. He hadn't been away of the two approaching as he stood staring at the building until it was too late, if not he would have turned and walked out of sight. He didn't know why he had been drawn to staring at the pub, he had been the first time he came across it when Eli dragged him out of The Woolpack and into town to drown his sorrows after nearly having a bust up with Adam in the pub. His cousin had told Aaron it was gay bar after the younger man suggested they continued their drinking in their after being chucked out of another club.

"Aaron!"

Hearing his voice being called out Aaron turned his head to look behind him, spotting Ryan and Andy walking in his direction.

"You didn't say you were coming out tonight." Ryan commented, wondering why Aaron was in town on his own.

"Well, I'm just meeting a few mates so. . . ." Aaron lied, he had no intention of meeting up with any friends. He just needed to get out of the house, away from the village. Paddy was still on his case about his scrap on his way back from college and his mum, since finding out, seemed to find it her right to give him an earful every time she saw him. He didn't need it all.

"I don't see any." Andy helpfully commented.

"Aaron screwed his face up at the older man. "That's 'cause they're not here yet?"

"Well, come for a drink with us if you like?" Ryan suggested. He didn't know what but something had been bugging the teen recently, he hadn't quite been himself. He didn't want the younger mechanic to be getting into any trouble. He looked a little on edge when they first spotted him. "Come on, Andy is really, really boring!" Ryan joked hoping to sway the younger mechanic.

"Oh yeah! That will be great! You two talking about oil filters all night." Andy quickly exclaimed.

"Well, it's better than talking about turnips." Ryan teased back.

"Nah, you're alright. I'll leave you two comedians to it." Aaron said. He didn't feel like hanging round with them all night.

The older mechanic shrugged. "Alright, suit yourself, have fund, don't get arrested." He warned teasingly before turning to Andy. "Let's try that Que ball place shall we?"

"Oh, you're having a laugh aren't you? The girls there are minging!" Andy argued with disgust.

Ryan pulled a face. "That's how your farmers like your women, init?" He joked.

"Well. . . " Andy said in jest.

"See you later lad." Ryan laughed patting Aaron on the arm as they walked away.

The young mechanic stuck around the same road in front of a closed shop for a little longer, staring across the road towards the gay pub. He was pulled towards it, intrigued to go inside but scared rooted to the spot. He couldn't go inside. He couldn't be seen anywhere near the place. It was a close call when Ryan and Andy came up to talk to him; thankfully they hadn't noticed which road he was stood on. If he went into the pub then it made everything even more real, didn't it? He wasn't interested in that. . . He didn't want to be like that.

Aaron only stayed in town for another hour or so after pulling himself to walk away from the pub. He ended up in a few other clubs, trying his hardest to block out any thought of the pub, downing drinks and chatting up girls. He tried his luck with a few but they never went anywhere. Just a quick flirt or fumble in the corner and that was it. It didn't satisfy the need that was growing harder and harder to ignore. What was wrong with him? He needed to try harder.

"Alright love, can I get you a drink?" He asked a petite looking blonde next to him at the bar.

"Nah, you're alright, I'm buying my mates drinks." She turned him down kindly with a smile before turning her attention back towards the busy bar.

"Are you sure?" Aaron pushed.

She nodded. "You're alright."

"Suit yourself." He mumbled before turning back to his own drink and taking a sip. He had had a few by now, everything was beginning to blur round the edges.

A few minutes later he caught the eye of a dark haired girl across the bar looking at him. He winked at her, making her duck her head quickly to hid the blush from her cheeks showing. Aaron smirked. He slowly made his way over to her. She was standing with a couple of friends, both of them deep in drunken conversation about something stupid as chipped nail polish.

"Hey." He said to her as he took the available spot standing next to her.

"Hey." She answered shyly, tucking a strand of hair nervously behind one ear.

"I'm Aaron."

"Natasha."

Aaron smiled at her. "Can I get you a drink?"

The dark haired girl nodded, a smile cracking at the corners of her mouth.

"Shots?" Aaron said, he was only interested in getting off his face again that night and maybe, hopefully, get with the girl he was now chatting to.

"Sure." She said before one of friends interrupted.

"Shots!" The friend closest to her exclaimed. "That's a good idea!"

They ended up taking the shots, that Aaron ordered over to a table at the back. The two friends of Natasha were well on their way at forgetting what they had gotten up to the next morning. Aaron sat with them, Natasha at his side as she downed a few shots with him. Before long Aaron was running his hands through her dark hair as she held his face in her hand as the other ran up and down his back. They didn't care that they were in the middle of a night club. Natasha was too wrapped up in Aaron as they fought against each other's tongues. Aaron determined to satisfy the need intent on making Natasha his everything for those split minutes they were together, forcing him self to be interested, to be over the moon with the girl. She was drop dead gorgeous. Shy, but gorgeous. He just needed to make himself know that.

They ended up stumbling out of the club an hour later, Natasha not so shy anymore as she pushed him against a brick wall to duel him into another fight of dominance. Her hands trailed up his body, while his stayed at her waist, her friends too busy staying up right on their feet as they ignored them.

"My place?" She whispered hungrily in his ear.

"Wh- What?" Aaron stumbled, a little taken back.

"My place?" She repeated again. "Interested?" She questioned growing impatient.

"What . . . Yeah, yeah sure." Aaron found himself answering as she they stayed against the brick wall a little longer before Natasha wrapped a hand round his wrist and began pulling him in the direction of her flat.

The dark haired girl shared an apartment with her two friends a few short minutes away from the pub. The two friends disappeared into the kitchen, loudly bumping into things and laughing while Natasha led Aaron down the small hall and into one of the bedrooms. She didn't bother with switching the lights on. She closed the door behind them and pressed Aaron up against it, trailing kisses down his neck as she struggled with the belt round his hips. Soon the belt was ripped from around his jeans and thrown to the floor. It wasn't fair he was the only one losing his clothes, he began to tug on the zip at the back of her black dress and soon enough they were both tumbling towards the bed, half their clothes ditched on the floor, Natasha in nothing but a pair of matching black lace bra and panties and Aaron in jeans that clung dangerously low on his hips.

"Condoms?" Aaron asked, breaking away from Natasha's hungry lips momentarily to ask. He didn't have any on him.

"Shoot!" Natasha cursed fumbling off of him and the bed. "Wait a minute, the girls might have one."

He was left lying on the bed as Natasha disappeared into the rest of the flat in nothing but her underwear. She was gone a few minutes, leaving him to stare round her bedroom. It was plain and boring. The walls were white and fairy lights were wound round the head rest on her bed, the only light in the room. A clothing rail was opposite her bed instead of a wardrobe where all her clothes were lazily thrown and hung on and few shoes littered the floor beneath it. A couple of posters littered the walls of the room, mostly of men in nothing but jeans and hard abs. He was caught staring at one of them as Natasha walked back, dangling a condom in between her fingers like a well earned prize.

"Here we are-." She said as she walked back into the room. "-Oh don't worry. Your just a fit." She winked when she followed his gaze to a poster of Channing Tatum near the door.

"Er, thanks?" Aaron mumbled ducking his head, the alcohol wearing off a bit now. He wasn't that interested in being there with her now. He should have used the time she was gone to gather his clothes and do a runner.

"Now, where were we?" She teased, crawling back onto the bed and up his body till she was straddling him. "Ah, here I think?" She whispered before she began to trail kisses along his throat.

When Natasha was curled him asleep beside him, both of them naked beneath the sheets and well spent, Aaron was still wide awake, mentally exhausted. Quietly he peeled back the covers and gathered his clothes from the floor, putting them on before creeping out of the room. He was thankful to hear that the two friends had gone to bed themselves after a while of shrieking laughter and clumsy bangs and thuds down the hall. He quietly let himself out of the flat and walked down the set of stairs that led to the street, pulling his mobile out to call for a taxi. It was too late now for a bus, they'd stopped running a couple of hours ago. As he called for a taxi he couldn't help but feel disgusted with himself. He still didn't feel right. He didn't feel as though he fitted in his own skin. Weren't you supposed to feel fantastic after sex? So far he never had.

A/N – I've left it a little while since updating this one. Thank you so much for the great feedback. Wait and see for when Jackson will be popping up real soon!


	7. Chapter 7

Aaron managed to fit in a few hours of sleep when got in before he had to get up again for work. He managed to avoid Paddy, waiting until the older man went through to open the surgery before slipping downstairs to grab something to eat for breakfast. He knew he was late for work, held up by sneaking past Paddy, and half expected Cain to jump down his throat as soon as he arrived but he didn't. He was in an unusually happy mood when he arrived.

"Nothing you want to tell us at all?" Ryan asked when the young mechanic made his way straight to the back of the garage without a word to either of them. His head was still killing him from all the drink he knocked back the night before. He needed a coffee to wake him up and hopefully if he kept drinking throughout the day the killer headache would disappear before the evening.

"No."

"He was out on the prowl last night." Ryan informed Cain as the older mechanic entered the garage to collect some tools.

"Oh right." Cain smirked. "Cop off did ya lad?" The older mechanic asked Aaron.

"You're joking aren't you? What are the chances of him finding a bus load of blind girls with low self-esteem?" Ryan teased making Cain laugh.

Ignoring the banter that was being thrown his way, Aaron cleared his throat and hoarsely asked. "Do you want a coffee?"

"See! He's not even answering the question now." Ryan continued as Cain took Aaron up on his offer and disappeared back out to a car. "Hang on! What's that?" Ryan questioned the teen as he walked closer to the young mechanic.

"You what?" Aaron sighed, turning his back to him so he could make the drinks.

"That!" Ryan laughed pointing at an angry purple mark showing on the side of Aaron's neck above the collar of his overalls.

"Nothing!" Aaron snapped shrugging Ryan's pointing finger out of his space and tugging his collar up to cover the mark. He hadn't even noticed it this morning as he got showered and dressed for work, to hung over to really care.

"So you did cop off with someone last night then." Ryan said smugly, a huge grin on his face.

"So what if I did." Aaron snapped at him, stirring the milk into the coffee before throwing the spoon down and storming out the garage with his cup of coffee, picking up a set of keys on the side for the ford escort parked at the front.

"Hey, what about mine!" Cain called to him as he made his way over to the car.

"Inside!" Aaron shouted at him as he climbed into the ford escort and began to drink his coffee in the drivers seat.

"Last night obviously didn't go so well. . ." Ryan commented as Cain brushed past him to grab his coffee. The two older mechanics stood in the doorway of the garage holding their coffee as the younger mechanic sat on the forecourt in the car, turning the radio up.

"Cop off did he?" Cain asked.

"Yeah. He's keeping it quite though. But if that mark on his neck is anything to go by . . ." Ryan blew out a breath. "Well, he had one hell of a good night."

Cain smirked. "What do you expect? He's a dingle." Cain told him finishing off his coffee quickly so he could get on with the amount of work they had on that day.

Ryan shrugged and stood standing under the shelter of the garage for a little longer, watching the young mechanic carefully. He wasn't so sure. Aaron didn't seem that chuffed for a teenage guy who had gotten lucky the night before. When he was his age he would have been smug for days and bragging to his mates. However, Aaron wasn't being like that and out of everyone Ryan would have expected him to be exactly like that or even worse. He seemed damn right fed up.

As Aaron sat in the car, front passenger seat pushed far back so he could prop his legs up on the dashboard and sip his coffee, his phone went off in his pocket. Who was it now?

**Hey Aaron. It's Natasha from last night. Had a great time, maybe we should do it again sometime. **

Again? She had to be kidding right?

The young mechanic rolled his eyes and slipped his phone back into his pocket of his overalls, without bothering to answer the message. Hopefully she would forget him and leave him alone. He wasn't interested.

"Right Aaron, it's your turn to get lunch!" Cain called out to him from inside the garage when hit one a clock.

"Again! I went yesterday!" Aaron moaned. He didn't have the energy to go all the way to cafe.

" 'fraid so. Off you go." Cain grinned from inside the garage. "Don't be too long."

"Whatever." Aaron mumbled, tugging his overalls off and ditching them on the side before heading off to get them all lunch.

He returned twenty minutes later, three paper bags of bacon rolls in one hand and a cardboard tray holding three cups of coffee in the other. He found the two older mechanics inside the garage, Ryan sitting on one of the two old car seats at the back and Cain at the desk, feet resting on top as he reclined back in his chair.

"Took you long enough." Cain commented when he ditched his uncles on the desk by his feet and headed over to Ryan to take the spare seat.

"Blame Viv not me, she was the one who kept running on the old bag." Aaron said sipping his coffee, as he handed Ryan his.

"I'll tell you said that." Cain joked, having no intention of wasting his time like that.

"Whatever." Aaron shrugged.

"Hope you're not like this all the time." Cain commented to his nephew. "How the hell you managed to get a girl is beyond me."

"Yeah well, they're not all annoying like you." Aaron snapped glaring at his uncle.

"I wouldn't be so sure. . ." Ryan chirped beside him.

Aaron turned to scowl at him to. What the hell was he talking about?

"You're girlfriend texted you while you were out." Cain told him tossing his mobile towards him. "You left it in your overalls."

"What you doing snooping around for!" Aaron flew at his uncle. He didn't go rooting through his overalls and looking through his phone.

"Keeping a look out for you, looks like you've got yourself a bunny boiler!" Cain teased causing Aaron to glare at him even more.

"I had one of them once, didn't end to well." Ryan told them, shivering at the reminder. "It was nasty. . ."

Aaron scrolled through his phone, clicking on the recent message that had been read by his Uncle and Ryan while he was gone. It was her again, Natasha, telling him she was going out again that night if he wanted to tag along.

"Do you want me to call her for you?" Cain teased. "Tell her to leave little Aaron alone."

If Aaron's glare could get any worse it did.

"Aww." Cain continued. "Is she scaring you off?" He teased.

"No." Aaron snapped, tucking his phone into the pocket of his hoodie.

"You're not over Holly are ya?" Cain sighed still teasing.

"She's a skank." Aaron growled.

"Oh? Eh, you keen on her then are ya? This new bird" Cain asked curiously, it was about time Aaron got over Holly.

"Oh shut it Cain." Aaron warned, picking up his bacon roll and coffee from his lap and heading out the garage to his finish his lunch while he worked.

"Touched a nerve," Ryan explained to the older mechanic from his seat on the floor.

"That lad's too sensitive." Cain growled returning to his own lunch.

Later that afternoon, Aaron ended up texting Natasha back, telling her he would go out with her that night. When finished up at work, he headed back home to walk Clyde before he could get ready for meeting up with Natasha. He was just heading past The Woolpack, walking Clyde down the village towards the small collection of trees and a few fields behind the garage when Paddy caught up to him.

"I didn't hear you get in last night." Paddy commented as he strolled up to him.

"Yeah, well. . ." Aaron shrugged, trying not to fuel the conversation.

"College called the house this morning." Paddy told him, watching for any changes on the teen's face.

"Yeah, and?" Aaron said acting ignorant.

"They filled me on what happened last week." Paddy continued. "Anything you want to tell me?"

Aaron shrugged and looked the other way as Clyde began to tug on his lead.

"Nobody started on you on your way back from college did they?" Paddy sighed, getting frustrated with the younger man's behaviour once more. "You got in a fight at College with another student didn't you?"

"He started it." Aaron quickly protested. "He just kept going on and on. He wouldn't give it rest, so yeah I shoved him."

"You did more than shove him by the sounds of it." Paddy cut in.

"So it escalated a bit? Two tutors had to drag me off him and now they don't know whether they can keep me on the course or not." Aaron told him.

"Yeah well, they called to tell me all that." Paddy said. "They're not happy. They want you and your mum in to talk things over."

"No way." Aaron said turning on his heel to continue walking.

"Aaron! You've got to if you want to stay on that course." Paddy called after him.

"No way Paddy! No way." He repeated over his shoulder. No way was he going to let his mum know, she would soon rip into him. As for taking her to college he would never live it down. She would embarrass him no end. Screw it, he didn't need college. It was a waste of time anyway.

He didn't take any longer walking Clyde. As soon as they hit the fields, he unclipped the dogs lead and allowed him to run around for ten minutes. Racing back and forth across the huge field and chasing after hefty sticks that Aaron threw for him to fetch. The Alsatian never returned the sticks. He chased them brought them back to Aaron but ran off with them again. Out of all the training that Paddy had made Aaron put Clyde through the dog had refused to take up the simple rule of Fetch.

He got the bus into town, deciding on a pair of dark jeans and black jumper with his leather jacket as he sat on the back of the bus. Aaron had seen Adam coming out of the shop on his way to the bus stop, he was about to go over and ask him if he wanted to join him on his night out. He hadn't seen much of his best mate. Despite making up over him mouthing off about Holly for all the Village to hear, the young farmer had been a little preoccupied with his girlfriend. But just as he was about to go over, Scarlett appeared at his side and snaked her arm round his waist. He didn't fancy hanging out with her as well that night. It was bad enough he was forcing himself to hang out with Natasha's friends without adding her to the mix. He did have no intention of meeting with Natasha again, but what his Uncle had been saying earlier that day it made him want to prove the older mechanic wrong. He was well and truly over Holly and he could get a girl.

He met the three girls outside a busy night club in town, despite it still being early. He had forgotten what Natasha looked like but in the last hour of sunlight that day he could really see what she looked like. She was slim, he knew that since he had been running her hands over her all last night. Her dark hair was long and thick, falling into loose curls and waves round her shoulders and her eyes were big and green, outlined by black liner. Last night she had on a small black dress that barely covered a thing, but today she on a white dress covered in decorative gold studs. She ended up taking him to a few bars, all of them drinking to have a good time. Natasha and her friends seemed careless, none of them cared to get to know him too much and that's what he liked.

"Hey, Tasha!" Her red haired friend called across the bar to her, as she was getting drinks with Aaron.

"Yeah, Louella?" She called over her shoulder, Aaron stood behind her, arm's locked round her waist as she danced in front of him whilst waiting for drinks.

"Tegan just texted! He wants to meet up!" She called back.

Natasha and Aaron carried the drinks back over to their table, taking the seats opposite her friends.

"Where is he?" She asked.

"Bar west." Louella scoffed. "Where else?"

Natasha shrugged. "Come on then let's finish these and go meet him."

"Bar west?" Aaron asked. He had heard right hadn't he.

"Problem?" Natasha asked.

Aaron shook his head. "No." He said trying to play it cool. He was bricking it inside.

They soon finished up their drinks in the current bar they were in before they headed a few roads down to Bar West. Aaron felt way out of his comfort zone as he stepped inside with the girls. He didn't know what he expected it to be like it inside but it was nothing like he thought it would be. It looked pretty . . . normal inside. Pool tables on one side, a bar along the back wall and ordinary looking people dancing on the floor or chatting at tables. It looked like any other club or pub but with the majority of the customers being male. Natasha, Louella and Kate lead him to a table in the middle of the club where a couple of people were already sitting.

"Tegan and James, this is Aaron." Natasha quickly introduced before pushing Aaron into a seat and sitting on his lap and not for the lack of seats at the table.

"Where's Jackson? Thought you said he was here?" Louella questioned the man who had been introduced as Tegan.

"He is." Tegan defended. "He's over there somewhere playing pool with a guy."

"Oh."

"Kate go get the drinks in, could you?" Natasha smiled sweetly at her friend.

"Sure." She said getting to her feet. "Shot's all round? Get you miserable lot enjoying yourselves." She said looking towards James and Tegan.

"I'll give you a hand." James said, following her to the bar.

A/N – thank you for such great feedback.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'll get the next ones in." Aaron announced to the table when near enough the entire table were near to finishing their current drinks. He clapped his hands down on Natasha's hips as she sat on his lap, still. The dark haired girl shifted onto the spare seat beside them and flashed Aaron a smile. "Same again?" He asked not bothered about what answer he got because was going to get the same whatever.

The table all nodded their heads as Aaron began to push his way through the busy bar. He was starting to grow increasingly uneasy as he sat with Natasha and her friends. He knew he was with Natasha, forcing himself to seem interested, to be like a normal lad but he couldn't help worrying. His head was a mess. What if anyone saw him there? He would never live it down. No matter how much he protested he was in there with a girl. It would only refuel Adam's rumours of him hitting on the young farmer after their little bump in Ryan's car. Maybe he could convince Natasha to move on in a bit, to some where else. He needed to prove to himself that Adam was just sprouting lies.

"How can I help you love?" The bar tender asked the young mechanic as he approached the bar.

"Yeah could I-."

"-Sorry love!" A curly short haired man interrupted beside Aaron. "Could I get some change for the pool table please?" He continued asking the bartender, handing her a five pound note. "Sorry." He said to Aaron, flashing him a smile.

"Nah. . . you're alright." Aaron mumbled his attention caught on the red chequered shirt the man wore.

The older man had instantly turned his attention back to the bar tender, collecting his change before disappearing into the crowd towards the pool tables.

". . . are specials are two for a quid?" The bartender asked Aaron as his gaze followed the older man through the crowd until he couldn't see him anymore. "Love? . . ."

"-What?" Aaron mumbled, shaking his head. "Nah, you're alright. Three beers, two white wines and single vodka please."

"Sure coming right up." She smiled before busying herself behind the bar.

Aaron began to search round the bar to see where the older man had disappeared to. For some reason he found himself pulled towards him. He couldn't explain why or what it was. He jumped in the air when he felt a pair of hands on his waist. Thinking it was unwanted male attention, the teen whirled round ready to tell them exactly where to go.

"Woah easy!" Natasha exclaimed, when faced with Aaron's wild gaze.

"Sorry."

"That's okay." Natasha shrugged, hoping onto a bar stool and pulling Aaron to stand between her legs. "Came over to tell you to order some shots."

"So no to give me a hand then?" Aaron teased.

"Nope." Natasha smiled. "Just shots."

Aaron rolled his eyes and waited for the bartender to finish collecting his order before asking for shots as well. He wasn't getting the next lot of rounds in, he knew that.

"Right I'm going out for a smoke." Aaron told Natasha, putting down his beer and patting his pockets for his lighter and cigarettes. "Then maybe we could make a move?" Aaron suggested in her ear as he lent over her.

Natasha smirked. "Sure."

Aaron took off outside, a little unsteady on his feet when the fresh air hit him. He knew he'd had a little too much to drink, it was Natasha she was a bad influence on him. He took his time outside, making the cigarette last before taking out another and making that one last as well. He was in no rush to get back inside. He was relieved to be out of the place for a bit. He'd walked round the side and slipped into an allyway, leaning his back against the wall as he blew out smoke from his lungs, holding it in until it burned. He was debating on whether or not to have a third or go back inside and see if Natasha was willing to move on somewhere else when the girl stepped out the club and came looking for him.

"You're taking your time!" She commented as he finished off his second.

"Sorry." Aaron said, blowing smoke out of the corner of his mouth instead of in her face.

"Got one for me?" Natasha asked, slipping her hands inside his leather jacket.

"Smoking's bad for you." Aaron told her, dropping his cigarette butt and grinding it into the ground with his boot.

"A lot of things are bad for you." Natasha sighed. "Come on, I'll just go say bye to the guys and finish off my drink, then maybe we could head back to mine again? That's if you don't want to go to yours?"

"Nah, nah, you're alright. Yours is closer." Aaron told her, following her back into the club.

When they got back inside, to their table, a few more had joined them, one of them being the guy who had asked for change at the bar. He sat next to James and a few other new ones, laughing about something as they sat down. The young mechanic and Natasha were forced to take up the seats next to him at the table. Aaron was hit with the older man's smile again as he looked towards them in mid laughter.

"Alright?" He greeted Aaron, still smiling.

Aaron nodded. "Alright?"

"Yeah, not bad. I'm Jackson." The older man told him.

"Aaron."

"Nice to meet you." Jackson smirked, before turning to Natasha. "This, your latest one is it?" He joked causing Aaron to glare.

"Jackson!" Natasha exclaimed good naturedly.

"What I'm only asking!" Jackson protested with a cheeky grin.

"Look, Natasha, we leaving or not?" Aaron snapped at her, feeling the most uncomfortable since he had arrived at the bar.

"Charmer isn't he?" Jackson joked as if he wasn't there.

"Who asked you?" Aaron spat at him.

"Aaron!" Natasha hissed at him. "He's only having a laugh. Come on. See you later guys." She said tugging Aaron with her.

He didn't know what came over him. But as soon as he stepped foot inside of Natasha's flat he wanted to make her know he was his. He shoved her up against the wall by the kitchen and began to bruise her lips with his mouth, pushing his body against hers. She wasn't having any of it though; she wanted to be the one in control. She whirled them both round, guiding him backwards down the hall as they continued to trail kisses along skin and tear clothes from one and other.

"Bedroom." Natasha ordered, breathily, when she managed to break away for a few seconds. "Unless you want Kate and Louella to see us."

They'd left them back at the club with the others. "Whatever." Aaron groaned fumbling behind him for the door handle at his hip.

Somewhere between the front door and the bedroom, Aaron had lost his Jacket, shirt and belt. He didn't care so much, it was just going to be harder for him to collect his things and sneak out without anyone knowing when the time came. He'd seen Natasha fling her heels across the lounge at one point on their way to her room, apart from them nothing of hers had been lost.

"Dress." Aaron grunted against her mouth they fell back onto the bed.

Natasha pushed Aaron onto his back, hooking a leg round his waist to pull herself up to straddle him. She pulled back with a smirk. Her hair was a messy dark mane round her face, as she tugged on the side zip of her dress and pulled it off over her head.

"Sorted." She growled leaning back down to pull him into a kiss before crying out in surprise as Aaron flipped them so he was on top.

"Sorted." He mimicked with a huge smirk as he ground his hips against hers.

"Wouldn't be so sure." Natasha whispered before she began to suck on a tender spot by Aaron's neck making him go weak so she could push him off and climb on top.

"Playing like that are we?" Aaron smirked, already prepared for whatever else she had planned.

Just like last time Aaron managed to sneak out before Natasha woke. When they both came down from their high, Natasha fell asleep straight away, breathing softly beside him as he stayed wide awake as ever, still wired up. He took that chance to hop out of her bed and look for his clothes, putting them on as he found them. He managed to get the last bus home and get back to Smithy Cottage before it reached three in the morning, thankful, to be getting more sleep than last time before he had to get up for work the next morning.

"You're too late. I got the last two quid out of that the other day." Paddy commented as he entered the living room to find Aaron demolishing the sofa the next morning.

"Lost my phone haven't I!" Aaron exclaimed, aggressively throwing a pillow in his hand onto the sofa.

"Well, this is the problem with these modern handsets, isn't it? They're just too small." Paddy said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "You should have seen the size of my first one." He scrolled through his phone for Aaron's number and held it to his ear. "Right don't panic. Any minute now we'll hear that irritating ringtone. . . nah-nuh-nuh! . . . It's ringing out." Paddy said.

"It's not flaming hear is it!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Well where did you have it last?" Paddy asked.

"I dunno." Aaron snapped. "Otherwise it wouldn't be lost, would it?" He added sarcastically, hitting the palm of his hand into his forehead for emphasis before leaving through the outside door.

"Hey, tell me where you were last night and I'll give them a ring?" Paddy suggested. "See if anyone's handed it in."

"Yeah? Look if it's gone it's gone for good." Aaron said finally. He wasn't gonna have Paddy calling up where he was last night or even Natasha. He'd call round hers later and see if he'd left it there. If not he wasn't going to bother retracing his steps any further. He wasn't stepping foot back inside the last club.

"You don't know that." Paddy said after him as he continued down the village.

A/N – What do you think so far? Each update they'll be more and more of Jackson. Thank you for such great feedback so far!


	9. Chapter 9

On his way back from work that day, Aaron bumped into Adam outside the Viv's shop, just as he was walking out carrying a bottle of milk in his hand. Aaron was quite prepared to just carry on walking past and ignore his former best friend. He wasn't quite sure where they stood with one and other. Not long ago Aaron was more than ticked off that Adam was telling the village he tried to kiss him and recently Adam was annoyed with the young mechanic for mouthing off about Holly. However it seemed Adam was putting that all behind him.

"Hey Aaron!" Adam called out, causing Aaron to removes hi earphones to his ipod from his ears and stop.

"Alright." Aaron grunted.

"Yeah. How've you been?" Adam asked, he had over heard Paddy in the pub the other night about how Aaron was barely at home at night now.

"Not bad. . . you?" Aaron answered rather awkwardly.

"Yeah not bad, not bad." Adam sighed. "Fancy Having a lads night?"

Aaron shook his head. He planned on going over to Natasha's later to find his phone. "Can't."

"Why can't you? We haven't hang out in a while." Adam pushed. He wanted to know what Aaron was up to lately.

"Going to see a mate. See if she's got my phone." Aaron explained, tangling his wire to his earphones round his fingers.

"Don't mind if I come with? Go into town after?" Adam asked or rather told the other teen.

Aaron shrugged. He wasn't going to say no. Adam was the only friend he had left, he couldn't afford to push him away. "Sure."

"Right then lad! See you later, say eight?" Adam said clapping him on the shoulder as he walked past to his truck.

When he reached smithy Cottage, Aaron was in and out, ditching his overalls and clicking Clyde's lead onto his collar. He took his Alsatian for a good hours walked round the fields and through a stream. He didn't give a seconds thought to the mess that his dog would make when he got home, wet fur soaked from the stream. He was just walking up through the village, back home to get changed for tonight and grab something to eat when he saw the surgery door open and a man stepping out still chatting to Paddy. He had no animal with him and Aaron didn't recognise him to be regular of Paddy's at the surgery. As he got closer he spotted a blue van parked out front, with the lettering "Jackson's building company" on the side. Jackson? He was one of Natasha's friends from last night from that gay club. What was he doing here? He could hear the builder laughing at something Paddy had said, making Aaron's breath catch in his throat. He then turned round and headed towards his van. Aaron made sure he remained well hidden. He waited until Paddy headed back inside the surgery before he jogged up to Smithy Cottage and snuck inside unnoticed.

Just like before Aaron managed to avoid Paddy as he grabbed a shower and something to eat and get changed ready in time to meet Adam. He met the young farmer outside at the bus shelter before Paddy got a chance to come through from the surgery and see the mess that Clyde had made after his walk. The two best friends caught the last bus into town and decided to head to Natasha's first for his phone before either of the two got to wrecked and forget. As soon as they stepped off the busy Aaron turned and walked round the corner to the stop, heading towards Natasha's. He was more than familiar of the route now.

"So where are we going again?" Adam asked as he fell into step beside Aaron.

"Natasha's." Aaron answered.

"This your new girl?" Adam questioned curiously.

"No." Aaron said, scrunching his face up. He was done with girls.

"Haha." Adam chuckled. "Whatever you say mate!"

Aaron glared at Adam, before he reached the building block where Natasha's and the girl's flat was, turning into it and jogging up the stairs.

Two minutes after he knocked on their door and pressed the door bell, Louella answered. Her hair was tied up off her face and she obviously still in her work uniform.

"Hey Aaron." Louella greeted cheekily. She was used to the mechanic now.

"Hi, is Natasha in?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah, come through and I'll go get her for you. She's just getting ready." Louella told him stepping to the side to allow Aaron and Adam through, eying the young farmer up as he passed. "Wait here and I'll tell her your here." She said leaving them in the lounge.

While Louella disappeared down the hall leading off from the lounge, Aaron perched on the arm of the sofa as he waited. Adam stood in front of him eyeing up the flat. Louella reappeared seconds later, heading straight past into the kitchen, giving them a smile as she went. The slim brunette padded barefoot into the lounge shortly after, dressed in a black sports crop top and Nike hot pants, showing as much skin as possible. Her hair was curled loosely round her face, which she had spent hours applying fine make up and fake lashes. Adams jaw literally dropped as he saw Natasha wonder towards them.

"I wasn't expect you here tonight." Natasha greeted as she slinked a hand round Aaron's shoulder's behind his neck.

"I wasn't but I lost my phone." He told her bluntly, resting a hand on her naked hips. "I didn't leave it here did I?"

"I haven't seen it." Natasha sighed, adjusting the collar on Aaron's shirt. "You can come have a look if you want?"

"Nah, you're alright." Aaron said shaking his head. If Natasha hadn't see it, it was long gone. He knew they hadn't cared where they threw their clothes the night before but he would have thought if his phone had fallen out that somebody would have seen it. It wasn't hard to miss.

"Sure?" Natasha asked. "Quick look?"

"Yeah I most probably lost it in one of the clubs or the bus home." Aaron sighed, not remembering where he had it last. "If it's gone it's gone for good."

"Oh well." Natasha said. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Out with Adam here." Aaron told her, gesturing to his mate opposite him.

"Fancy joining us tonight? The both of you?" Natasha asked with a smile. "Promise we'll be on our best behaviour."

Adam laughed.

"i DON'T KNOW. . . ." Aaron thought. He didn't fancying bumping into her other friends again or going to Bar West again, especially with Adam of all people. He was hoping he could slowly slip off her radar in the next few weeks.

"Ah come on mate! It will be a laugh. Beats being stuck staring at your ugly mug all night." Adam teased.

"Ah thanks mate!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Well that's sorted it then." Natasha grinned. "You two chill here while us girls finish getting dressed." She said pressing a kiss to Aarons lips and wondering back towards the hallway. "There's the tv to keep you entertained and veers in the fridge. We won't be long."

The young farmer waited until all girls were in their rooms getting ready for the night out before he grabbed two beers from the fridge and crashed down nest to Aaron on the sofa as he channel surfed.

"Jesus Aaron! She's hot!" Aaron stage whispered, his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I know." Aaron shrugged, struggling to find a decent channel.

"How on earth you managed to get a girl like her I don't know!" Adam continued, still shocked.

It took an hours or so for the girls to finish getting ready. As perusal Natasha strutted into the lounge in a killer dress and heels. She draped herself across Aaron's lap, as the other two girls took a seat beside Adam.

"So I was thinking, we head to Mercy night club first, then diamondz, then finish off in Bar west." Natasha told the groups already having made her mind up where they would be all going that night.

"Bar West again?" Aaron protested. He didn't want to step foot in there again.

"Yes, Bar west." Natasha said, running her fingers through the short hair on the back of his head.

"What's wrong with Bar West?" Adam asked. He had never heard of the bar before.

"Nothing." Kate said beside him. "It's really good there."

"Right then, lets get going!" Adam announced, already getting to his feet.

A/N – So sorry for such a long wait for an update. I've been so busy with work lately. I'll try not to leave such a long wait before I upload updates. But I am getting them done, it's just finding the time to type them up and upload them. Thank you for such kind reviews and feedback.


	10. Chapter 10

Aaron stood at the side of the dance floor, with a bottle of beer in his hand as he watched Adam dancing with a bunch of older woman who looked to be ten years older than him. He was causing a lot of amusement for Aaron as he watched the farmer dancing around them, hoping to be with a bit of luck. Adam had already had a lucky escape from a girl in Mercy nightclub who was definitely not his type. They had all run out of the club after the girl had disappeared to get a round of shots in. They had been in Diamondz for a while now, enough for Adam to find an unfortunate bunch of girls to try it on with and for Louella and Katie to find two men to chat to. Natasha had disappeared to the toilets, to touch up her make-up.

"Mate, your wasted!" Aaron shouted at Adam when he pulled himself away from the dance floor to nick some of Aaron's drink.

"Hardly!" Adam protested.

"I think you are mate, either that or your taste in woman has taken a severe hit!" Aaron teased.

"You're just jealous mate." Adam grinned, snatching Aaron's drink from his hands on downing half of it.

"Hey!" Aaron protested. "I think not! Have you seen Natasha." He threw back at him with a knowing smirk.

"Fair play mate." Adam laughed. "I still can't work out how you managed to get that!"" He said looking over to Natasha as she slinked through the crowd back to them.

"Have you seen Katie and Louella?" Natasha asked, looking round the club. "I was thinking of making a move."

"What back home?" Aaron asked, hopeful all plans of bar west were forgotten.

"No to the next bar." Natasha smiled. "It's still early yet!"

"Yeah, Aaron." Adam agreed finishing off Aaron's drink and handing it back to his mate.

"Thanks mate." Aaron said, putting the bottle on the side.

"Right, one more round then move on to Bar West?" Adam announced.

"Yeah go on then." Aaron sighed, it would but it off for a little bit longer.

"Thanks for offering." Adam grinned, slapping Aaron on the back with a cheeky grin.

"Haha, very funny." Aaron said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"I'll come with you to get them." Natasha told him. "Adam look for the girls will you."

"Yes miss!" Adam laughed, bouncing away through the crowd to look for them as Aaron and Natasha walked towards the bar.

When they got to the bar, Natasha leant back against it, pulling Aaron towards her, trapping her between his arms as he leant his hands either side on the bar top. She snaked her arms around his waist and slid them up his top, knowing it would drive him on edge as he tried to order their drinks.

"Do you mind?" Aaron said after the barman had taken his order.

"No, not at all." Natasha smirked, pressing herself against him now.

"You're evil." Aaron told her.

"You love it." She said in his ear as she reached up to press a kiss along his jaw and then pull his lips in for a kiss.

"See you do love it." She smirked when she pulled away, allowing Aaron to pay for the drinks.

Adam had managed to track down the girls both of them letting them know that he had no intention of going on to Bar West. They had both found an interest in the men they were talking to and planned on sticking around with them for a little while longer. So it just left Adam, Aaron and Natasha to move on to the next club after finishing their drinks.

"Who's gonna have theirs?" Adam asked, looking at the vodka and lemon and white wine.

Natasha snatched up the white wine, chucking it back, while Aaron took the straw out of the vodka and lemon and threw it back. "Sorted." Natasha grinned.

Aaron wasn't going to waste a drink he'd paid out for, besides he needed the drink to help to where they were then moving on to.

"Right then, let's go."

They walked from Diamondz to Bar west, it was only five minutes down the road. They made their way through the crowds of nightlife thriving on the streets between each night club, dodging taxis as they tried to pick up as many fares as they could that night. They reached bar west before Aaron had even had the chance to finish his cigarette. Natasha insisted she waited for him to finish, snagging a few drags from it herself as Adam leant against the wall waiting. Aaron was too busy watching Natasha take another drag and hand the cigarette back, to notice a man creep up behind Natasha and nip her bum making her jump. She obviously didn't know the man who was obviously drunk. His mates behind making triumphant sounds of glory at their friend's action.

"What the hell are you playing at?!" Aaron fumed at him, throwing his unfinished cigarette to the floor, as he glared at the giggling man.

"Sorry mate, it was too hard to resist." The man tried to excuse. "Just look at it!"

"Keep you're hands off of my girl!" Aaron shouted at him, squaring up to the man. "Alright!"

"Alright, okay mate." The man laughed, unable to keep a straight face. "But just look at her, she was asking for it wearing a dress like that!"

"You what?" Aaron flew at him, shoving him hard. Who the hell did he think he was going round touching girls up and thinking it was okay?

"Aaron, leave it." Adam warned his friend. He didn't want him getting into any trouble.

"No, I won't leave it!" Aaron told him. "Who the hell does he think he is?" He spat in the man's face, glaring him down.

"I'm sorry but if you let your girl out wearing a dress as short as that, what do you expect!" One of the man's friends shouted over to him.

"Let me?" Natasha cried out. "What century do you think this is?!" She fumed, annoyed with the man's ignorance.

"Got a feisty one haven't you mate!" The man laughed, still finding it humorous.

"You better watch what you're sawing before I make so you need your jaw wired shut." Aaron threatened, his temper increasing with every passing second.

"Tash! What's happening?" A familiar voice called out as he made his way closer to them, from the other side of the road.

"Nothing Jackson, just these pigs." Natasha told the builder as he made his way stand next to Aaron in front of Natasha shielding her from them as Adam stayed by her side.

"Is this right lads? You acting like pigs around this girl?" Jackson questioned, noting the young mechanic shaking with anger beside him. He needed to calm the situation down before anyone got hurt.

"Look mate, we're just having a laugh. Tell him to calm the fuck down." One of the man's friends said, who had then walked closer to his mate who was now being surrounded by Aaron and Jackson.

"Calm the fuck down?!" Aaron spat, getting in their face again.

Jackson placed a hand on Aaron's shoulder, getting ready to pull him back if need be.

"Why don't you all apologise for the disgusting behaviour and walk on." Jackson settled. ". . . . . . Well? . . . "

"We're sorry." The men apologised.

"I should think so." Aaron snapped, still glaring at them all.

"Walk on then, gentleman." Jackson grinned, staring at them until they walked off with their tails between their legs.

"You okay Natasha?" Jackson asked, turning round to her.

"Yeah fine." Natasha shrugged. "Just pissed me off, that's all."

Jackson laughed. "What did they do?"

"They came up behind me and nipped my bum. Had worse." She told him.

"If I see them again tonight. . ." Aaron fumed, turning round to them when he couldn't watch them no longer as they turned round the corner.

"You'll leave them well alone." Jackson told him. "You don't want a criminal record at your age."

"What makes you think he hasn't already got one?" Adam tried to joke, earning a glare from Aaron.

Jackson laughed. "Should have figured." He said as he looked at the mechanic carefully making Aaron feel uncomfortable.

"Are we going in or not?" Aaron snapped at them, impatiently.

"Alright, Alright, keep you hair on." Adam teased.

A/N – Thank you for such great feedback, hope your enjoyed this! Sorry for the late update.


	11. Chapter 11

It took Aaron two drinks before he began to allow himself to wind down from the state he had gotten himself into with the lads outside a couple of hours ago. It didn't help that Jackson kept looking his way offering a smile whenever they caught each other's eyes. The young mechanic still couldn't work out the older man, there was something about him. Aaron wasn't sure what it was but he didn't like it. It made him feel unsure of himself. Despite his unknown feelings towards the man, it seemed him and Adam were getting on like a house on fire. The two of them sat beside him howling with laughter at some points while Natasha kept making subtle hints to what she had planned for them later between chatting and laughing with her other friends who had joined them in the bar. Aaron could tell that the brunette was beginning to grow annoyed with him when he ignored her subtle hints, for the fourth time running.

"Ah! Where did I leave my phone?" Natasha announced as she hunted through her small bag and searched amongst the collection of empty glasses on their table.

"Oh! Aaron, before I forget mate, I found your phone the other night when you left it in here." Jackson exclaimed, suddenly. "It must have fallen out of you pocket or something."

"Oh right, thanks." Aaron said clearing his throat.

"I haven't got it on me now. I called the last number used on your calls list." Jackson explained to him. "I went round to yours earlier and left it with your dad."

"- Dad? Paddy?" Adam laughed. "Paddy's not Aaron's dad!"

"Oh, sorry." Jackson said apologetically while Adam continued to find amusement in it. "It's just. . . never mind."

"What? They look similar?" Adam continued, earning himself a sharp dig in the ribs and a glare from Aaron. "What? You do! You'll look like that in thirty years time." The farmer protested.

"Well anyway I left it at yours." Jackson finished, unable to help the smile creeping on his face at the adorable annoyed face Aaron pulled at Adam.

"Found it!" Natasha cried out, lifting up a napkin to find her blackberry. "I'll go get that round in now."

"I'll give you a hand." Aaron offered, beginning to stand up. Any excuse getting a few minutes away from Jackson and clearing his thinking.

"No! You're alright, I can manage." Natasha smiled, placing a kiss on his forehead before disappearing towards the bar through the crowds with her purse in hand.

He hadn't even drunk that much. He knew hadn't. He had had just as much as Adam. However, some how, the young farmer seemed a lot steadier on his feet and able to string a sentence together without too much effort, unlike him, Aaron was struggling with both of those things later that night. They were all stumbling out of the bar with intentions of going home to bed for work the next morning. Aaron had been playing a couple of games of pool with Jackson, Adam and some other guy before they continued drinking at their table. Since then he hadn't had the chance to stand up and let the full effects of the alcohol hit him. It wasn't until he was stood outside did it hit him fully. They were all walking down the street, heading back to Natasha's apartment. The young mechanic was finding it difficult to put one foot in front of the other, whilst keeping up straight, the other's seemed oblivious to it all in their tipsy state. Unable to continue further, his head feeling to fuzzy to carry on, Aaron stumbled over to the closest wall and leant against, closing his eyes to stop the world from tilting.

Unlike the other's Jackson had noticed how drunken Aaron had soon got and he knew how. On their last round he had caught Natasha ordering Aaron a double vodka and coke, unknown to the mechanic. He had given her a look which had only been shrugged off with a laugh before she headed back to her latest catch. He knew what the bubbly brunette could be like. He wasn't surprised to find Aaron more wrecked than the others and leaning against a wall when he turned round in search for the younger man when he could no longer see him walking ahead with the rest of their group.

"Aaron? You okay mate?" He asked backing up towards him. He sent a quick look over his shoulder, the other's still hadn't noticed. They were all traipsing off ahead.

"I'm wrecked." Aaron slurred, his eyes still closed as he leant his back against the wall, his chin now slumped down on his chest as if his head was too heavy to hold up.

"I know mate." Jackson sighed. "-Woah there!" He called out, quickly rushing towards the young mechanic when he began to fall sideways. He caught the younger man by the waist and helped him up to a standing position again, slumped against the wall.

"My head's. . . spinning." Aaron slurred, trying to focus his eyes.

Jackson kept one hand on Aaron's waist in case he decided to lose his balance again, leaving very little space between them. "I'm not surprised." Jackson said. "You've had a skinful. . . Aaron? . . . Aaron!"

The younger man had decided to dose off, the hand on his waist keeping him up as he began to slide sideways towards the floor again. Jackson placed his other hand on Aaron's face and began tapping him to make him come to. "Aaron. . ."

". . . . . . Wha-?" Aaron grumbled, his eyes drooping.

"Come on, on your feet. We need to get you home." Jackson said tugging Aaron away from the wall, holding on to his arm and his waist.

Aaron tried his hardest to gain some sort of balance on his feet. Putting one foot in front of the other seemed an impossible task as he tripped over himself, falling forward into Jackson.

"Easy!" Jackson exclaimed catching him against himself.

Since meeting the older man, Aaron had felt himself pulled towards him. He had been very good at ignoring the feelings he had towards Jackson, making him feel uncertain around him. But now he couldn't ignore them. He was pressed up against the older man, he could smell his aftershave and feel the breath on his face as he stared back at him. His mind already hazy from the alcohol as he struggled to tell himself to pull away, put some distance between them. But before he knew it, unable to stop himself he was pressing his lips against the older man's. Later on, he wouldn't know what had possessed him to do such a thing.

"Woah!" Jackson exclaimed pulling back, breaking the kiss that Aaron had drunkenly initiated. He still held on to the young mechanic, both hands on his waist as he used all his strength to keep him up right on his feet.

"Oh. . . god." Aaron slurred bringing the back of his own hand to his mouth. What had he done? He tried pushing Jackson away from him. What if somebody had seen? He tried to look around for the others, making the world tilt and slant even more.

"Hey, calm down you're gonna fall over in a minute!" Jackson told him, refusing to let go of the teen in case he fell and hurt himself.

"No. . . ge-off me." Aaron mumbled, shaking his head and weakly grabbing at Jackson's hold on him and tugging at him to let go.

"Aaron!"

"No!. . . ge-off me!" He repeated this time more harshly. He needed as much distance between them as possible. He didn't want anybody to find out what had happened. He couldn't believe he just over stepped the mark, the mark that he had made sure not to cross since he could remember.

Jackson took his hold off of Aaron, holding his hands in the air to show surrender towards him. He wasn't going to get into a drunken fight with the teen that seemed to instantly regret his actions.

With his struggle to free himself from the older man, Aaron stumbled towards a bus shelter close by, resting a hand on it to gain his balance and clear his head.

"Just let me help you get back." Jackson sighed after few moments of them standing in silence in the street as Aaron tried to get himself together. "You're a right mess."

"I'm fine." Aaron argued. He didn't need any help from him. He didn't know what other stupid things he would do if he was left alone with the older man any longer. "I can manage."

"Look it's okay, your drunk I won't tell Natasha that you tried to kiss her mate." Jackson tried to joke, trying to find the funny side in all of this. He couldn't deny that he didn't have feelings for the younger man. "Blame it on the alcohol."

"I. . . I didn't kiss you!" Aaron growled back.

Jackson snorted. "Whatever." He was sure that was a kiss but he wasn't going to argue with him.

"Aaron?!" Adam bellowed down the street only just realizing his best mate wasn't with him.

"You mention a word of what you think went on. . ." Aaron threatened Jackson before Adam ran back to them.

"What's up with you mate?" Adam chuckled, oblivious to the tension that had grown between the other two.

"I think someone's had a bit too much to drink." Jackson informed the mechanic's best mate.

"Yeah, you think?" Adam agreed, pulling one of Aaron's arm's around his shoulders to hold him up. "I don't think anybody is getting lucky tonight! Not after how much you've put back!"

"Shut. . . up." Aaron slurred, slumping his head against Adam's.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Adam laughed. "Jackson you couldn't do us a favor could you? Tell Natasha that Aaron's in no fit state, I'm taking him home. She's carried on ahead with the others."

"Yeah sure." Jackson assured him. "Do you need any help getting him in a taxi or the bus?"

"Nah, I can manage. Hopefully before long he'll sober up a bit out here. It's freezing!" Adam told him.

"Well if you're sure mate. . ." Jackson said beginning to head down the street.

"Yeah! I'll see you some other time, nice meeting you!"

"Yeah same, see you later Adam, Aaron."

Aaron ignored the farewell, choosing to continue to focus on seeing one instead of double.

"Let's call a cab. I don't fancy dragging your ass on to a bus and off again." Adam said more to himself as Aaron was in no state to listen.

A/N – This is a rather rubbish update. I'm sorry guys, I'm trying to move it on to more interesting things but I struggled with this update. Sorry for such a long wait as well! Thank you for the great feedback hope this one isn't so much of a disappointment!


	12. Chapter 12

The following day the young mechanic woke feeling very delicate to the sounds of Paddy pottering about downstairs in the kitchen on his day off. As soon as he woke at Lunch time he was hit with a thudding headache and a wave of sickness when smells of food being cooked floated up to his room from the kitchen. He did try burying himself underneath his duvet, hoping to sleep away his hangover, but a new rush of sickness had him running across the hall to the bathroom. He couldn't remember a thing about the night before. How much he had put away, he did no know? It was all a blur to him. After retching into the bowl of the toilet for a few minutes, Aaron brushed his teeth and grabbed a shower to freshen up.

"Bit delicate this morning are we?" Paddy asked the teen when he wondered downstairs into the kitchen, a while after his shower.

Aaron didn't bother with a verbal response. He grimaced as he opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice, drinking it straight form the carton. Despite the teen being in a delicate 'state', inflicted only by himself, it did not stop the older man from swiping the tea towel he held round the back of the younger man's head to scold him for not using a glass.

"You know where the glasses are kept." Paddy pointed out when Aaron glared at him. "Where did you end up last night? I heard Adam dragging you up the stairs."

"Yeah." Aaron grumbled, leaving the now empty carton on the side as he wondered towards the lounge.

"I left you phone on the table in there!" Paddy called to him, as he went behind the younger man and placed the empty carton in the bin on the way to the lounge. He stood in the doorway and watched as Aaron collapsed on the sofa, reached forwards to grab his phone from the coffee table and moulded back in to the seat. "A young lad dropped that off for you yesterday after finding in a club in town." Paddy told the young mechanic about the phone. "Jackson, I think his name was. Left his number to."

"Good for him." Aaron grunted. He didn't like Jackson.

"I insisted he left his number, so you could call and say thank you for the trouble." Paddy carried on. "So I suggest you do that now." He knew Aaron didn't have many friends round Emmerdale. He knew the teen had had a few back in Hotton when he lived with his dad. But they were no good, they led him astray and they were all pleased when they stopped contacting the teen. It meant no more trips to the police station and bailing him out when he got caught up in god knows what trouble. That was why he had made sure to Jackson's number. He liked the lad. He was friendly and polite, a little older than Aaron but there was no harm in having a friend that was older. Maybe he could help guide Aaron in the right direction.

They vet stayed standing in the doorway, waiting for Aaron to dial the number. He had left it written clearly on a piece of sticky note paper on the coffee table.

". . . What Paddy?" Aaron groaned after a minute, still sensing Paddy to be standing behind him.

"Call him and thank him." Paddy reminded him. He was like Aaron's dad how he always brought the young lad up on his manners.

Aaron let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine!" He snapped, snatching the note off of the table and punching the numbers in his phone.

"Thank you." Paddy smiled before popping back into the kitchen to finish drying up his plates, when the phone was pressed to the teen's ear.

The young mechanic listened to the 'ring' of the phone, waiting for the other line to pick up. Why Paddy was so much like an old woman about it he didn't know. Anything for a quiet life.

"Hello, Jackson Walsh Building and Construction?" The voice picked up.

"Hi, urm. . . It's Aaron- Natasha's er. . .Friend?" Aaron said, stumbling. "Just called to thank you for returning my phone."

"No problem mate." Jackson said. How could he forget who Aaron was, especially after last night. "Got home alright then?"

"Er, yeah." Aaron answered shortly.

"Good, you were all over the place last night." Jackson told him. "Don't worry I won't tell Natasha."

"Tell Natasha what?" Aaron said out loud. What had he done that he couldn't remember? He hadn't gone off with another girl had he? He couldn't have, he hadn't woken up with anyone.

He heard Jackson chuckle on the other end of the line. "Ah, you can't remember? This is awkward." The older man said. "You kissed me."

What?! He was having him on. "Nice one mate, real funny." Aaron brushed off. What next? Dancing down the street naked and declaring all his love for the tooth fairy at the top of a building?

"No. I'm not joking. You did." Don't worry I won't tell." Jackson said. "You were drunk, out of it. Besides I know I'm pretty irresistible."

Aaron felt physically sick. He swallowed back a lump in his throat that had formed at the thought of him locking mouths with the older man. He hoped nobody had seen. He would never live it down. First going in for Adam after he bumped his head in the car and now Jackson while he was drunk. What was wrong with him? He didn't like guys! He liked woman, he was into woman like any other normal bloke, like Cain, Adam, Declan, his dad for insistence. Being with Natasha proved that, didn't it?

". . . Aaron? You still there?" Jackson called down the phone when the line went silent.

"-Yeah sorry." Aaron snapped from his thoughts. He cleared his throat. "Look mate, I gotta go." He told him rather abruptly. He needed to get off the phone and quick.

"Oh, okay. By-." The other man managed to get out before Aaron ended the call.

He slammed his phone down on the coffee table and ran his hands over his head, his elbows resting on his knees. What else had he done last night that he couldn't remember? And how much had Adam witnessed? He needed to know, he felt sick at the thought of Adam seeing it all and spreading it round the village like he did that time when he tried to kiss him. It had taken him a while to shut the farmer up. The sooner he found out the better, his stomach was churning.

"Paddy I'm heading out!" Aaron shouted out to let the older man know, which was more than usual. He shoved his phone in his pocket and flung himself out the door way before Paddy got a chance to answer.

He headed straight for Adam's, shoving his balled fists deep inside his pockets and shrinking into his hooded sweatshirt to keep away from the chilly march air. He reached Butler's farm in a matter of minutes, spurred on by the cold weather and eager to get inside some where warm. He knocked once on the kitchen door before walking into Butler's farm kitchen.

"Alright Aaron? Adam's just taken something over to his dad in one of the barns." Moira said to him, knowing the teen was looking for her son and not her oldest daughter.

"Ah right, which one? I'll go-." Aaron started, gesturing over his shoulder to the door he had just walked through.

"No, no. He'll be back in a minute." Moira told him, as she continued to collect plates and mugs from the kitchen table. "Go wait in the living room." She said, shooing him into the other room.

Aaron did as he was told, taking a seat on the throw covered sofa and fixing his eyes on the TV screen. A dinner host documentary shone on the screen, while Moira continued to tidy the kitchen and sort laundry. He was busy trying to foreign interest in the programme when Holly rushed down the stairs and burst into the room.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, shocked to find Aaron sitting in her living room. She had done well to avoid him the past few weeks.

"Alright." Aaron said awkwardly. "I'm here to see Adam."

"Oh right." Holly said, tugging at her jumper round her stomach and a new unnoticed habit by many.

"Shouldn't you be at college?" Aaron questioned the older girl. It was a Wednesday he knew Holly had classes on that day.

Holly shook her head. "No, not till later." She told him. "Anyway, I'm gonna . . ." She added hinting to the kitchen.

The atmosphere between the two of them was still awkward. Aaron couldn't figure out why though. He was over it, the two of them breaking up. Yeah, admittedly he had been angry with her that she ended things with him. It had hurt him a lot. But now he was with Natasha, he was past all that with her. Either she still found things strange between them or he had done something else that she was still caught up on he couldn't think what else could be causing the strained tension between them.

A few minutes later, the outside kitchen door banged open as Adam entered the house letting in a chilly draft as he did so.

"Aaron's through there Adam." Moira told him as soon as he walked in.

"Oh right, is he! He managed to recover from last night then." Adam chuckled as he ditched his muddy boots by the door and walked through to the lounge. The younger teen crashed down on the seat beside Aaron, hooking an arm around the young mechanic's neck and pulling him towards him so he could roughly ruffle his short hair.

"Hey! Ge-off." Aaron exclaimed, trying to push his best mate off of him.

"Wake up with a headache did we?" Adam teased.

"Shut up." Aaron groaned.

"Should know how to handle our drink next time maybe?" Adam hinted.

"How drunk was I?"

"So drunk, I had to carry you home with a little help from Jackson."

"Jackson?"

"Yeah, Natasha's friend. He's nice enough." Adam explained.

"Nothing else happened then?" Aaron prodded. If something had happened, that Adam had seen he would tell him straight away, wouldn't he, especially if it were his best mate snogging another guy.

"nope, nothing else. . . " Adam tried to remember. "You did fall over a couple of times and even stood hugging the kitchen doorframe at one point, but no, nothing else. . . why?"

"I can't remember a thing about last night." Aaron admitted.

"How much did you have?!" Adam exclaimed. "Jesus Aaron."

"Urgh. . . my head feels like it's going to explode." Aaron told the young farmer.

"I'm not surprised. That's your own doing that." Adam had no sympathy for him.

A/N – Sorry for such a long wait! Thank you for such great feedback.


	13. Chapter 13

Holly stood in her bedroom in front of a full length mirror beside her door. She made sure her door was firmly closed as she stood in just a bra and low slung long pyjama trousers. She was lost in thought as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her reflection hadn't changed much since she found out her whole world was going to turn upside down. There was no big red neon flashing sign above her head, announcing to the world she was knocked up with village thug. However, she was still paranoid that somebody was going to find out, every single day she woke up till she went to bed at night. At the moment she still looked the same, her appearance had not changed. Her hair was still the same, she wore the same clothes, still the same expressions on her face and she still acted the same. What had changed was her tummy, but nothing to noticeable just yet. At first when she had found out she was pregnant at the beginning, the worry that consumed her had made her think that her stomach was going to swell overnight. But it didn't, she knew she was silly for thinking that. It took time, nine months to be exact. It would be a little while as yet before her pregnancy would become obvious and too hard to hide anymore. She had began to notice it was more of a struggle now to button jeans. To nobody who knew they would think she had just put on a couple of pounds over winter, when in fact she had a tiny bump forming three months. It would only be a matter of time before she would need to think of different clothing options.

She turned to the side, analysing her stomach with scrutinising eyes. She wasn't that big for three months. Her stomach was usually flat, but now there was a tiny bump. She could pass it off as eating too much in one sitting with what people joked and called a "food baby". However she knew she couldn't used that excuse all the time. Unlike real babies, "food babies" vanished after a couple of hours. She was glad that it was still cold enough to wear jumpers and hooded sweatshirts. But as the days get warmer she would be getting bigger. She would cause suspicion sitting in a thick chunky knit jumper in the middle of July. Holly couldn't believe that there was a baby growing inside of her. Nearly two months since finding out she was carrying Aaron's baby she still could not get her head around it yet. In six more months she would have a baby in her arms. For the next eighteen years she would be responsible for that life.

A loud knock on her bedroom door had her jumping out of her skin, quickly scrambling for a hooded sweatshirt as she listened to the voice of the knocker.

"Holly? Do you want a lift to the bus stop?" Her brother asked as she pulled a hooded sweatshirt over her head,

"Er, yes please. What time are you leaving?" She asked Adam, when she pulled her door open.

"In forty minutes." Adam told her, a hand casually resting on her door frame.

"Okay, let me get dressed and I'll be ready to go." Holly told him

"Alright I'll be outside helping dad." Adam said before retreating downstairs.

Growing more stuck with what to wear, Holly pulled out a pair of dark teal skinny jeans, a large cream knitted sweater that fell off one shoulder and a black vest top from her wardrobe. There was only so many more weeks left before she would have to start thinking of alternate choice to her skinny jeans and skirts to wear. She very much doubted she would be able to button her jeans round a bump the size of a football in a few months. Satisfied that the outfit she had chosen hid her small bump that was beginning to grow in size each passing month, Holly quickly ran a brush through her hair, platting the front section into a French plait above her forehead to the side. She took time applying make up, covering up the effects of worry and tiredness that had over taken her the past few months.

Even though Aaron had gotten peace of mind, knowing that Adam had not seen him kissing Jackson, it still didn't stop him thinking about what he had done. As he recovered from his hangover, he had began to remember bits and pieces from the night out that had ended with him locking lips with a man. It was all he could think about and it worried him senseless, the feels that had stirred in the pit of his stomach. He could remember how it had felt, the smoothness of the older mans lips against his, the rough stubble of his beard grazing the skin around his mouth. Unlike kissing girls, the kiss with Jackson had stirred something new in Aaron, something he had not experienced before. He had liked the way the older man had held him by the waist, his firm grip sending sparks along his skin, through his nervous system and up into his brain, clouding his judgement and thinking. He shouldn't be felling things like that about a guy. It was girls that were supposed to do it for him, but it wasn't. It was him, it was Jackson. At least he thought it was. He wasn't sure. He was confused. He had kissed him and head liked it more that liked. It wasn't forced.

Since the phone called the following day, abruptly ended by Aaron, a few texts from the two of them had been sent to one and other. The young mechanic had sent the older man a text the day after the phone call, asking if anybody at all had seen them. An instant reply had said nobody had seen and "your secrets safe", which had sent Aaron in a spin. He had sent several text threatening the older man that if he dared tell anyone. . . That was when Jackson began to assure him he wouldn't do such a thing and that he had only been joking. The texts hadn't done much to settle the young mechanics mind. He was still fretting over it, never leaving his mind.

"You alright Aaron?" Paddy questioned, making the younger man jump as he stood in the kitchen, back leaning against the worktop, deep in thought while chewing on the corner of his thumb.

"What?" Aaron cleared his throat. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"You sure?" Paddy continued, to question. "You haven't seemed yourself lately. You've been quiet, more quiet than normal/"

"Yeah sound." Aaron shrugged off, giving Paddy as look as if to say stop being stupid.

Paddy stared at Aaron a little longer, hoping that the truth would be written across his forehead, making the teen feel uncomfortable under his un faltering gaze. "If you say so." Paddy sighed, before heading to the kettle behind Aaron.

"Spoken to Jackson lately?" Paddy asked, gesturing to the phone in Aaron's hand.

"You what?!" Aaron snapped defensively, instantly paranoid that Paddy had found out somehow about the other night.

"Alright! I was only asking." Paddy chuckled. "He's a nice lad, he is. I aspect he can be right laugh."

"Why don't you call him up and be pals with him then!" Aaron shot at the older man, storming off into the lounge.

"Don't be like that Aaron! I was only saying." Paddy tried to tell him, following him into the lounge once filling the kettle with fresh water and flicking it on.

"Only saying what though?" Aaron challenged, glaring over the back of the sofa where he had flung himself down.

"I was only saying he was a nice lad. You could do with more friends couldn't you." Paddy tried to put nicely, walking round and sitting on the arm of the sofa. He knew Aaron only hung out with Adam. For a young lad Aaron didn't have many friends.

"What do you mean I could do with more friends?" Aaron spat, getting angry.

"Like I say, you could. Normal lads have loads of friends don't they." Paddy told him, unaware of the hole he was digging himself.

"So I'm not normal now am I?!" Aaron shouted at Paddy, jumping to his feet.

"N-no I didn't say that, d-did I?" Paddy stumbled, annoyed with himself with how he had worded things.

"Yeah! You just did!" Aaron continued to shout, thundering round the back of the sofa.

"Where are you going now?" Paddy asked the teen as he continued out of the room, away from him.

"Where do you think?" Aaron barked as he climbed the stairs.

Paddy remained where he sat for a little while, bringing a hand up to his face and rubbing his forehead as if to help ease the start of a headache. He was only looking out for the younger man. He hadn't had it easily lately. The older man was beginning to grow concerned with the amount of times Aaron was out of the house during the night. It had all started a couple of weeks back, the young mechanic spending almost every night in town sometimes not coming home till the next morning looking a little rough, or coming home drunk off his face and unable to stand. He didn't know what had caused it, but he knew not everyone his age went on almost every night getting drunk. He just hoped the younger lad hadn't gotten himself caught up in trouble; it wouldn't be the first time.

Upstairs, Aaron sat on the edge of his bed staring at the number on his phone, his thumb hovering over the green call button as he argued in his mind whether or not he should call the contact. He could delete the number, try and forget about it all and hope that he could block it out forever. But how could you forget about something that you liked so much, caused such a reaction and stirred up a new feeling, a new feeling that seemed to fit, fill the gap that had been there for so long. He couldn't. It was impossible. It felt right, but yet he still thought it was wrong. He was scared that others would think it was wrong. It was a risky game, him even texting Jackson after the kiss. What if anyone got hold his phone or Jacksons and read what they had been talking about. He was playing with fire. But in some ways he didn't care. He needed to know for sure that it was Jackson who had stirred those feelings inside of him and that it wasn't the drink or a one off. He needed to know for sure.

Without thinking, Aaron pressed call on his phone. He brought the phone up to his ear and held his breath as he listened to the call tone.

"Hello?"

". . . . . . ."

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

". . ." Aaron cleared his throat. "Er, y-yeah there is. It's Aaron, h-hi, sorry." He stumbled, his mind going blank as to what to say. He hadn't thought of what he was going to even say when Jackson picked the phone before he even called, how stupid of him. He had now made himself sound like a complete idiot.

"Hey mate, didn't think I would be speaking to you again." Jackson said over the phone. "Look if it's about me telling anyone about what happened, don't worry I won't. I promise-."

"It's not about that." Aaron cut off.

"Then what do I owe this pleasure of you calling?" Jackson teased.

"I-I was. . . I was wondering if you wanted, -you don't have to-, meet up in town tonight." Aaron rushed, all with one breath. "Don't worry if you're busy!"

Jackson laughed, causing Aaron's cheeks to flush.

"I'm not busy at all tonight." Jackson told him, his voice losing the cheeky tone.

"So do you want to meet for a drink?" Aaron asked, his heart thundering in his chest as he waited for an answer.

"Yeah sure." Jackson answered. He was curious to know why the younger man wanted to meet with him for a drink in town. It might be, because the teen wanted to warn him in person not to spread there secret kiss or for another reason. He hoped it wasn't for the other reason that he had thought of. Aaron was Natasha's man, his good friend for years. However there was no harm in meeting up for a drink and just talking. After all Aaron was straight and for all he knew it could have just been the teen's alcohol clouded mind that had made him act out the way he had. "Where do you want to meet?"

"Bar West?" Aaron suggested. Nobody would see them in there if they went early enough. "Seven?"

"Sure, see you then Aaron." Jackson said before ending the call.

Aaron placed his phone on the bed beside him, staring at piece of wall opposite him as he thought over what he had just done. His stomach twisting in knots about the outcome of tonight. He hoped by the end of the night, he would know whether or not it was one off. He hoped it was a one off, he wanted to be normal like Adam and Cain. He was fed up of thinking how he did. Even Paddy said he wasn't normal.

He sent a quick glance to his alarm clock on the side by his bed. It was just gone five. He had enough time to take Clyde for a walk down the village and round the woods before coming home and having a shower and something to eat. He had a couple of hours until he had to meet Jackson that night.


	14. Chapter 14

Paddy had ventured down to the pub for short while after failing to talk to Aaron. He sort out his best friend, Marlon, and stood at the bar talking to him, telling him about his concerns for the younger man who lived with him.

"He could be dealing drugs?" Paddy admitted, thinking over what possibilities the then could be up to at night when he was out of the house.

"He could be actually. Wouldn't be the first time." Marlon agreed, doing nothing to calm his friend's worries.

"Marlon! You're supposed to e telling me that there's nothing going on." Paddy exclaimed. "That there's nothing to worry about and he's just having trouble free fun."

"I'm sure he is . . . standing in a dark alley, selling coke to crack heads." Marlon offered. He could remember when they all went to get Aaron from the Mcfarlenes in town, after he had screwed up some job of theirs after getting caught by the police. "I'm sorry but since when did Aaron and 'trouble free' go together?"

Paddy shook his head. "Chas would kill me if he got caught up in all that again while living with me." He groaned, dropping his head in defeat.

"Look, I'm sure he isn't." Marlon tried to assure him. "He would never go back to that, not after what nearly happened last time."

"You sure? I don't know what's going on with him." Paddy told him. "He's so. . . "

"Aaron like?" Marlon chuckled. "We all know he's different, moody, unsociable kid."

Paddy looked up at his best friend that was being harsh. He knew Aaron was hard work at times but nobody gave him the chance.

"Well if you're so worried, follow him. When he next goes out, follow him, see what he gets up to." Marlon suggested, flinging a tea towel over his shoulder. "That way you'll know for sure."

"If he see's me, which he most probably will, he will kill me." Paddy imagined, taking a sip from his pint. He thought nothing of his best friend's idea. It was rubbish.

Marlon shrugged. "Just don't get caught." He reasoned. It was fool proof. He wouldn't want to get caught either by Aaron, following him. He knew what a temper he had on him and despite being nearly three times his age, Marlon was scared of his cousin's son and he hated to admit it.

However much of a bad idea Paddy thought Marlon's idea was, he found himself going along with it anyway, despite the hearty risk it held. It took a lot to gain Aaron's trust and all that could be destroyed if he ever found out what he had planned. When Aaron had gotten back from taking Clyde for a short work, he had grabbed something to eat, told Paddy he was going out that night and raced upstairs to have a shower. In just over half an hour the teen was showered, dressed in jeans and a dark jumper, and standing downstairs shrugging on his jacket and putting a set of keys in his pocket.

"I can give you a lift into town if you like?" Paddy suggested, grabbing his own coat.

"Nah, you're alright." Aaron declined. He didn't want Paddy anywhere near town tonight.

"No, don't be silly, I'm heading that way anyway." Paddy argued, continuing to pull on his coat and grab his own keys. "I've got to pick up some supplies and drugs for the surgery anyway."

"No, honestly Paddy, I'm alright. I'm getting the bus." Aaron carried on, determined he wasn't getting in the older man's car. "I don't know what time I'm leaving yet."

"Can go whenever you want." Paddy told him. "Come on."

"I don't need a lift." Aaron growled.

"You're getting a lift." Paddy said, already pushing the teen out the door.

Grudgingly Aaron, allowed himself to be steered towards the vet's car.

The car journey to Hotton was quiet. Paddy decided not to try starting any sort of conversation between the younger mechanic and himself in case he was to give himself away. He didn't want Aaron to grow suspicious of what he had planned. It didn't seem to bother Aaron, who sat sulking in the passenger seat, staring out into the window, twiddling his phone in his hands.

"Where do you want dropping off?" Paddy asked, grabbing Aaron's attention now that they were under the bright lights of the town centre.

"Anywhere." Aaron answered.

"Just tell me where, I don't mind." Paddy said as he drove further into the town centre, closer to the night life.

"Anywhere, I don't care." Aaron told him, straightening up in his seat, getting ready to get out.

"Are you sure? Where are you going?" Paddy questioned.

"Here will do." Aaron ordered, already unbuckling his seat belt before the car pulled up to the side and stopped. "See you later, don't wait up!" He called back as he hoped out of the car and disappeared before Paddy got a chance to question him any further.

He sat in the car for a while, waiting until Aaron had at least walked a few streets up before he pulled back onto the road and began to head in the same direction as Aaron, only slower than other vehicles on the road. He didn't want to be seen by him. He was glad of the bad traffic hiding him in the standstill of cars. After ten minutes he could see him up ahead again, he was on his own walking across a road up ahead. His head was down and his hands in his pockets. Paddy crawled the car up further along the road, before pulling up into the side again to prevent annoying other road users. He watched as Aaron approached an older man, he recognised him instantly when he turned round it was Jackson. Jackson smiled as Aaron approached him and they stood talking at the side of the road for a while. It eased his mind knowing that Aaron was just meeting up with a friend, nothing illegal about it at all. But then he watched Jackson pull something out of his pocket and hand it to Aaron who quickly shoved it into his jeans pocket and shot quick glances around himself.

Paddy quickly shot his head down, scared in case the teen caught sight of him sitting in his car a good few metres down. What was it that Jackson had handed Aaron? Was it legal? It didn't seem legal the way Aaron had nervously looked round in case anybody had seen. Whatever it was had been small, small enough to be drug package. Would he? No, he wouldn't, surely not. Guessing the coast was clear to look up again, Paddy saw them just heading into a nearby bar, out of his sight.

Deciding he was going to see enough as he could that night without getting a parking ticket or being caught by the teen, Paddy decided to go home and mull over what he had just seen.

In town, Jackson and Aaron had found themselves seated at a table in Bar West, the older man had brought them pints which stood on the table in front of them. Aaron sipped nervously at his, occupying his hands as he thought over why exactly he decided to meet Jackson in the first place.

"So what is exactly the reason you wanted to meet Aaron?" Jackson asked bluntly, having finished taking a couple of sips from his own pint.

Caught on the spot, Aaron simply stared back. "I. . . err."

Jackson raised a questioning eyebrow. "Is it because you kissed me?"

"What? No!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Alright!" Jackson laughed, taken back by the sudden exclamation from the teen. "Like I said on the phone and in several texts I won't tell anybody about it." He promised.

"I know." Aaron shrugged. "Look I don't know what you're thinking but I'm not. . ."

"what?"

"I don't usually. . .you know. Kiss other blokes." Aaron rushed.

Jackson just nodded his head. "It's okay, you know. . ."

"What's okay?"

"To kiss other blokes, as you put it, to be curious." Jackson told him.

As the night went on and the longer Aaron spent in Jackson's company the teen began to realise it wasn't just a one off, what he had felt the previous night. His heart thrummed in his chest when Jackson leaned too close, he could smell the masculine aftershave that he had patted on driving his senses to the edge and drunk up the sound of his laughter when he began to laugh at some poor blokes misfortune at the bar when Aaron went to get them another round. It wasn't right, he shouldn't be allowing himself to feel those kind of things. But he couldn't.

"Look, I. . .er, I've gotta go." Aaron said, cutting the night short after just two rounds.

"Oh right, you sure?" Jackson asked, a little hurt by the sudden end to their night.

"Yeah, I've gotta get up early tomorrow." Aaron told him, it wasn't a lie.

"Oh okay, good meeting you." Jackson said as Aaron pulled his jacket on. "See you again sometime."

"Yeah." Aaron quickly said, keeping his head down as he got up from the table. "See ya." He said before rushing off. He didn't want a repeat.

He ended the night so soon in fear that he would end up repeating his actions from the previous night and with next to nothing drink inside of him, he was unsure with how he would handle the situation. It was best if he just went home. He quickly made his way out of the pub and across the road, putting as much distance between them as possible.

The next day Paddy found himself sitting in front of the computer in the surgery's reception, searching through a list of websites that might help the younger man. He had already been upstairs into his room. He waited until Aaron had gone off to work before sneaking upstairs and into his room, his heart in his mouth as he riffled through draws, picked up clothes, looked under cupboards and beds and behind wardrobes and DVDs. He found nothing. He didn't know whether to be relieved or even more worried that he didn't find anything. Surely if he was dealing drugs he would have stash of money hidden away or large amounts of drugs concealed behind something. Nothing, not a single grain of powder or penny was found. It didn't stop Paddy from thinking the worst though. That was why he was sat in reception, printing off self help websites and looking for more help lines and groups.

He jumped in his seat and scrambled to cover up the pages he had printed when he heard the reception door open.

"I thought you were Pearl." Paddy chuckled in relief. "I've sent her out on a bun run."

"You're not on some dodgy website. . ." Marlon accused teasingly turning the screen to face him.

"Depends what you call dodgy." Paddy said.

"Oh right, so he's admitted it then?" Marlon asked in disbelief.

Paddy shook his head. "Haven't had the chance to talk to him yet." Paddy told him. "I've searched his room. . . couldn't find anything."

"I thought you weren't gonna do that?" Marlon reminded him. After Paddy had gotten back from following Aaron and witnessing the small exchange he had driven straight home and gone to the pub to look for Marlon again to let him know of how it had all went. He had told him concerns had been confirmed and the pair had discussed what he could do next. He hated the thought of violating his trust any further by searching his room, but he had needed to know for sure.

"I know, I changed my mind." Paddy sighed. "It's totally clean, well it wasn't – It was a total mess actually, disgusting even but clean as in no drugs."

"Maybe you've got it wrong." Marlon hoped.

"I hope so. But If I haven't I need to know what I'm up against." Paddy told him. "I've got a list of self help groups and helplines and a lot of useful information and guidance information from these websites." He showed Marlon the pages he had already printed.

"Do you think these will help? Do you think he'll read these?"

"No, but I'll have to." Paddy said firmly.

Aaron had spent a few hours down the pub after work with Cain and Ryan, the two were moaning about the latest football league tables. For a while he felt normal, hanging out with the two of them down the pub. Ignoring what was going on in his mind for a bit. However when he began to walk home, Jackson crept to the forefront of his mind again. He had left things rather abruptly the other night. He pulled his phone out, holding Jackson's number on the screen, debating whether or not he should text him as he walked through Smithy's front door and climbed the stairs.

He flicked his bedroom light on when he reached it and shut his bedroom door behind him. Should he or shouldn't he text Jackson. The other man hadn't bothered himself. But maybe he was put off by him ending things so short into the night. However they weren't having a drink like. . . that. They were two blokes meeting up for a drink like what he and Adam would do. Nothing was going on between them, at least he didn't think there was. Somewhere deep down he hoped there was, but he knew that was ridiculous. He was with Natasha, he was into girls. Why did he have to keep reminding himself that?

Out of the corner of his eye, as he thumb hovered over the select button on his phone, Aaron saw a punch of papers placed neatly on his bed in front of him. He snapped his phone shut and picked the papers up to get a closer look.

"Drugs on the brain?"

"Are you under the influence?"

"Mess with your mind."

What the hell where these doing in his room? Who had put them there? Surely they didn't think he was taking drugs. How stupid did they think he was? He had seen what that stuff did to people while he worked for the McFarlane's, the amount of jumped up, skanky, desperate crack heads he had sold drugs to was enough to put him off for life.

He looked round his room, clocking more things that had been moved, disturbed. Someone had been in his room and gone through his things.

He waited until he could hear footsteps outside approaching the house, Paddy had been out when he had got home, before he jumped off his bed and thundered down the stairs. As soon as the front door opened he was on to him. "You've been in my room. Have you been through my stuff?"

"I didn't find your stash if that's what you're worried about."

"My what?"

"You're stash. Thats the word for it isn't it?" Paddy fired back walking through into the kitchen.

"So that's what this is about. You think I'm doing drugs." Aaron asked confused as to where this was all coming from, following him. What made him jump to that conclusion?

"No."

"Well good because I'm not." Aaron made sure he knew.

"I think what you're doing is worse. Dealing." Paddy told him.

"Are you mental!"

"I know what I saw."

"What are you going on about?" Aaron panicked. What had he seen?

"Last night I followed you. I know I shouldn't have done but I needed to know what was going on." Paddy admitted.

"You had no right!" The teen fumed. He was livid. Who was he to follow him around? Spy on him.

"I saw you outside that pub."

"Yeah I never went in!" He defended making it clear.

"I saw you with that lad that brought your phone back. The one that you said you don't even know. But it looked like you did know him, it looked like you were there meeting him."

"Why are you doing this? Why can't you just stay out of my life?" Aaron questioned. He was fine if left well alone. He didn't need him meddling in on his life.

"Because I want to help."

"I don't need you too." There was nothing to help him with- nothing he could help him with. He was on his on with this one.

"Yes you do. I can't help you unless you're honest with me. So please, tell me what's going on." The older man begged.

"Nothing." Aaron shot at him, storming past into the lounge.

"I'm getting the truth!" Paddy promised as he too went into the lounge after him.

A/N – thank you for such great feedback and such like and too those silent readers!


	15. Chapter 15

"Just leave me alone Paddy!" Aaron yelled as he began to pace back and forth in the lounge. The older man was weary that the teen would begin to wear a hole in the carpet behind the middle sofa if he wasn't careful.

"No I'm not going to leave you alone Aaron. Not until I find out what's going on." Paddy told him once more. "What were you doing meeting up with that lad if it wasn't for drugs then?"

"I wasn't doing anything with him!" Aaron growled, hot on his defences. He couldn't let Paddy find out.

"You must have been doing something Aaron! You went in that bar with him."Paddy pushed. "You're so secretive over something you claim to have never of done!"

"I didn't do anything!" Aaron roared making a quick bolt towards the kitchen. "Just leave me alone!"

He wasn't quick enough to put himself between Aaron and the doorway. Before he had a chance to stop the teen from running any further he heard Aaron's bedroom door slam shut. A subtle sign that under no circumstances was Paddy to follow him. There was no way Aaron was going to tell him anything, he was going to have to do some more digging himself. He still wasn't convinced Aaron wasn't involved in drugs in some way or another. It wasn't so long ago that he had caught the teen stealing from his surgery and selling on his veterinary drugs. His mother, Chastity, would kill him if her son got involved in drugs whilst under his supervision and seemingly blind eyes.

Paddy headed back to the surgery, starting up the computer in the reception and taking a seat at the desk as he waited for everything to load. He knew the name of the lad that Aaron had met with. The younger man had his name printed on the side of his van. Despite the man having a business of his own, did nothing to prevent Paddy from thinking of what trouble he could be pulling Aaron into. As soon as an internet search page loaded on Paddy's computer screen, he was going straight onto facebook and hope that the Jackson lad had a facebook Page. He knew most young people had a facebook page, except Aaron. The young mechanic didn't have one. He knew this because he had heard Adam trying to convince the other lad into getting one a few weeks back, to which he had been told where to go with that idea. He wasn't surprised that Aaron didn't have a facebook page, he was a very private person. He couldn't see the teen constantly updating his status, allowing everyone to know what he was up to or uploading pictures of where he had been.

It didn't take very long at all for the older vet to track down Jackson's facebook page, once up and running. He looked over his page, reading his personal details and going trough a few status and posts. There was nothing flagging up as dodgy. He seemed like a great man, even when just going with what he found on his page. He seemed hardworking, a friendly, top lad that got on well with his family and wasn't into anything dodgy at all. It seemed people only had good things to say about him when leaving him messages on his wall, saying how much they missed him or what a great time they had with him, thanking him for a great night out.

Giving up on his search to find things about Jackson that would point to dodgy dealings, Paddy began a second search. Bar west, that was the name of the bar wasn't it?

Upstairs Aaron was on edge. He sat perched on the edge of his bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he chewed on his nails. He couldn't sit still. His leg began jumping up and down as his mind raced. What if Paddy found out? He couldn't bare the thought of anyone finding out, about what bar he had gone into, who Jackson was, about him. They would think he was sick. Hell, he thought he was sick. He knew it wasn't right. He needed to make sure nobody found out. That meant no more meeting up with Jackson, no more venturing into Bar west whether that be with Natasha or not. No one must find out. He couldn't deal with anybody knowing. He knew his family would disown him. All of the men in his family were well known for chasing skirts, especially Cain, They would be disgusted by him and he couldn't blame them. He was disgusted by himself.

The older man had just locked the surgery door behind himself, after having just finished his search for information, when he heard Aaron descending the stairs. He hoped the younger man was in a better mood. He still wanted to talk to him. He had found out a few things in his search.

"Aaron." He caught the teen taking a can of larger out of the fridge. "Aaron." He repeated when he tried to ignore him. "I've just been on the internet and looked at the website for that bar you so desperately didn't want to be seen in."

Aaron's heart raced.

"It's a gay pub. . . but then you knew that didn't you?" Paddy continued. "Come on, it's doesn't matter. You can talk to me." He pleaded. "Aare, are you gay? . . . Because it will all make sense, Holly dumping you, your reaction to Jackson bringing your phone back, what Adam said."

"-She doesn't know!" Aaron accidently let slip making a move towards the stairs. He wasn't quick enough this time. Paddy stepped between him and the stairs.

"It's alright." Paddy told him, causing the younger man to scoff in disbelief.

How was it alright?

He didn't want anybody to find out but now Paddy knew. He had managed to put two and two together and figure it all out himself. He'd managed to talk his way out of the time when he nearly kissed Adam. Told everyone that Adam was dead set on ruining things with him and Holly. He'd even threatened Adam when his attempts at convincing Adam that it was all down to the bang on the head didn't work. How was he going to get out this one?

The young mechanic moved away, back into the kitchen, needing to put some space between them. He ditched the fresh can of cold larger on the side. His stomach to unsettled to drink anything now. He kept his back to Paddy as he heard the older man follow him into the room. He couldn't let him read what he was thinking. He had already found out too much.

"Is this your plan is it? Keep staring at me till I answer your question?" Aaron spoke, feeling Paddy's eyes burning on him as he glared out the window.

". . . You still haven't answered my question." Paddy calmly stated.

"What question's that then?" How could he expect an answer to his question? Even he didn't know the answer for sure.

"Aaron. Don't pretend you don't know."

"Just because I talk to a lad and have a drink in a bar doesn't make me gay." Aaron snarled.

"Yeah but you were meeting Jackson." Paddy pointed out. On the lad's facebook page, he had come across a couple of pictures that quite obviously showed him in a relationship with another man.

"Why are you so obsessed with him? I can give you his number if you want?!"

"We already know you don't want me to meet him." Paddy told him. ". . . And that's because you're scared, you're scared he's going to tell me the truth about you."

" I need to get out of here." He couldn't listen to anymore. Aaron began to move towards the direction of the stairs again, wanting to so desperately hide away in his room and pray it was all a bad dream.

"I don't think you should go anywhere." Paddy said as he made to grab hold of Aaron's arm to stop him. The didn't want the unwanted physical interaction, he aggressively shrugged off the man's grip. "Calm down!"

"Yeah, I was calm until you started messing with me head!" Aaron turned and yelled, tears of frustration brimming in his eyes as he got into the older man's face, hoping he would back off. It was all getting too much for him.

"Right well I'm sorry. W-what were you, w-what were you- ermm. . . "

"Shut up." Aaron begged turning his back on Paddy. He could feel his blood boiling as he tried so desperately to keep things together. He began to rub his hands over his head, hoping he could block out Paddy's insistent questioning.

"H-ho-How, H-how often did you-"

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up." Aaron pleaded desperately he couldn't keep it together any longer. He was like a ticking time bomb.

"-is he your boyfriend?"

"SHUT UP!" Aaron snapped, swinging round and slamming his fist into the side of Paddy's face. He lost all self control. Pure rage engulfed him as he set upon stopping the stuttering speech that spluttered out of the older man's mouth. He couldn't stop himself. All he could see was red, he was blinded by his temper. There was no one there to stop him, he needed someone to stop him before he killed Paddy, the man who had been nothing but kind to him. What was wrong with him? He was numb, he couldn't feel the pain exploding in his knuckles as they split and swelled upon impact on skin and bone, nor could he feel what he was doing was wrong, that he needed to stop. He blocked out the sight in front of him.

The young mechanic didn't even hear his best mate knocking on the front door, bursting in when he heard the commotion inside. It took all of Adam's strength to pull Aaron off of Paddy, grabbing him by the waist and hauling him backwards. What was he playing at? He was close to killing Paddy. He couldn't believe what he had just walked in on!

"What the hell are you doing?!" Adam raged at his best friend, shoving him far away from Paddy who was a heap on the floor.

Just like that, he snapped out of it. Aaron's eyes blew wide as he took in exactly what he had done. The older vet was unrecognisable, covered in blood and cowering in the corner. He stared down at his hands, split and swollen knuckles covered in blood, was it mostly his or Paddy's? What had he allowed himself to do? He looked round the room. The table cloth was on the floor, along with various of other items that had been knocked over in his rage. Adam was glaring at him, pure disgust for his actions written all over his face. Fight or flight mode kicked in. He'd already fought. He needed air, the walls were closing in on him. So he took off through the front door. Thankfully neither of the two men did nothing to stop him.

"Holy shit Paddy. . .." Adam blew out after a moments silence. He didn't quite know what to do or say. He had just walked in on his best mate beating his better-than-real-dad to a pulp. He just couldn't believe his eyes. "How you doing Paddy?- Sorry stupid question."

"I've. . . I've been better." Paddy grimaced, struggling to sit up.

"Here let me help." Adam said, rushing to the older man's side and helping him sit up, resting his back against the wall. "He's really done a number on you! Do you want me to get Chas? She should know! The police even-."

"-No! God, no! None of them. She can't find out." Paddy exclaimed instantly regretting it as pain spiked in his ribs. "It was my fault, I shouldn't of-."

"Your fault?!" Adam raged. "How did you work that out?!"

"I shouldn't of pushed him. I shouldn't of. . ."

Outside, Aaron hadn't gotten very far. He stood round the side of Smithy Cottage, in the dark hidden away. He was shaking. He couldn't stop himself from shaking. It seemed he couldn't stop himself doing a lot of things recently. First trying to kiss Adam, then Jackson, beating Paddy, he was a head case. He felt physically and mentally sick at the thought of what he had just done in there, inside smithy cottage. And he had been, he'd thrown up everything he had eaten seconds after leaving the house, in a bush. He was crying too, another thing he could add to the list of things he couldn't stop.

He had hit a new low, even for himself. He needed to make sure Paddy was okay. He knew Adam was in there with him. He'd left the older man a bloody mess on the floor. Did he need a doctor, an ambulance? He was a monster. He'd never gone that far before. A few punches and scrapes at school with the other lads that at worse ended with a simple black eye or a bloody nose. But Paddy. . . he had gone too far. He hadn't even fought back!

The teen pulled his sleeves to his dark jumper over his hands, ignoring the pain as the material scraped over his raw knuckles. Trying to pull himself together, he moved towards the house. He needed to make sure Paddy was okay. Taking a deep breath, he opened the front door and stepped inside.

The two men stopped talking instantly when Aaron re-entered the house. The teen walked into the kitchen slowly, his eyes blood shot and tears streaking his face. He had been gone a while, long enough for Adam to make them drinks, finish them and see to Paddy's facial wounds while Paddy explained all to him. In the long hour that Aaron had been gone, Paddy had remained seated on the floor, in too much pain to move.

"I'm so sorry Paddy." Aaron cried, stepping closer to Paddy who scrambled back in a panic. The very action made Aaron feel worse, if it were possible. His stomach churned at the sight of Paddy petrified of him. "Please don't be scared." The teen begged as he knelt down on the floor. "I never meant to do this." He choked bringing a hand to his mouth. "I just wanna help, what can I do? . . . Anything! I'll do anything."

Paddy shared a look with Adam, who stood on guard, ready to sort the other teen out if need be. "Talk to me."

If only it were just that simple. He didn't understand, he wouldn't understand. Who could possibly understand the mixed up thoughts that whirled round and round in his head? He looked over to Adam, catching movement in the corner of his eye, only just realising that the young farmer was still there. He couldn't. . . not with him still there. It was bad enough Paddy knowing, telling him.

"He knows. I told him." Paddy said when he caught Aaron looking Adam's way. "You can trust us, Aaron."

Aaron looked pleadingly towards the older man. Did he know what he was asking of him?

Twenty minutes later and Aaron still hadn't begun to talk. He couldn't get the words straight, pardon the pun, in his head. The words wouldn't form on his tongue and his voice caught in his throat as he stared between Paddy and Adam, who sat at the kitchen table, waiting, glaring at him. They had moved to sitting at the table, to get Paddy up off the floor. Adam had wanted to get him seated in the lounge in one of the sofas where he would be more comfortable but the older man decided against it. The small move from being slumped on the floor to standing caused him enough pain. Adam hadn't let Aaron anywhere near Paddy.

"Look, maybe it would be better if you left, Adam." Paddy suggested as Aaron leant against the fridge, chewing his nails anxiously. "-Don't worry, I'll be find." He quickly added by the look that sprung across Adam's face.

"But Paddy-!" Adam began. He couldn't leave him. Not after. . .

"Like I said, I'll be fine." Paddy said, clearing his throat. "Aaron knows what he's done is wrong. Don't you? Aaron?"

The teen jumped at his name, having zoned out. Lost in a world of his own thoughts. "Sorry. . . what?" He asked quietly, his voice small, a complete contrast to the huge ball of rage that had over taken him earlier.

"I said, you know what you did was wrong?" Paddy repeated observing the teen.

Aaron nodded his head. Yes, of course he did! It was unforgivable. He couldn't believe that he had stooped that low. ". . . I'm really sorry Paddy."

"I'm still not leaving you alone with him!" Adam exclaimed. "He's a headcase!"

"Adam! It's fine. We need to talk. It was partly more my fault. I shouldn't have been pushing him like I was. I know that now." Paddy told the other young man. "I'll be fine."

"Who's to say he won't lose it again?" The young farmer threw at him. He was adamant that he wasn't leaving Aaron alone in the house with Paddy. He couldn't risk it.

"He won't Adam!" Paddy told him. "I'll call you later if you want."

Adam thought over it, Paddy wasn't going to give in. He looked over to Aaron. He looked harmless now. The young mechanic looked close to chewing through to bone the he was nawing at his thumb. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot, the silent tears having only just stopped a short while ago. However, Aaron's fuse was short at the best of time. He could burst into a violent temper at the drop of a hat. He was unpredictable. Always had been, always would be.

"Please. . . Adam." Paddy pleaded.

". . . Fine. But I'm calling round first thing tomorrow morning and you better call me later tonight!" Adam said laying down the terms as he scraped back his chair and stood up straight.

"I promise." Paddy assured him.

"Good." The young farmer said, as he past Aaron, he stopped short in front of him, leaning in close in a threatening manner. "If you lay another finger on him, I'll go to the police. I don't care how much of a good mate you are . . . what you've done is unforgivable." He growled in Aaron's ear, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing hard.

Aaron nodded his head in acknowledgment. He understood.

"See you later Paddy." Adam said before leaving through the front door, giving Aaron one last look.

A/N – Thank you for such kind feedback. I am so sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. Been so caught up with everything!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N – Thank you for still sticking with this slow pace moving storyline fic. I have so many different things planned for this fic, but I feel I need to get rid of these boring chapters and on with more exciting ones as soon as possible, so please bare with me on this one. There will be plot twists and exciting things in store!

The following morning Adam made sure he headed straight to Smithy Cottage after breakfast. He made up an excuse to his dad, telling him he needed to fetch a spare part from the Dingle Automotives for his quad bike, so he wouldn't wonder where he was going. He had promised Paddy he wouldn't tell anybody about what had happened the previous evening. However if he found Paddy in a worse state, if possible, than the night before then he would start telling people, starting with the police. He sped into the village on his quad bike, parking it just in front of Smithy cottage before swinging off of it and ditching his helmet on the seat.

He didn't bother waiting to be asked inside. He knocked once on the main door and stepped inside. He found Paddy sitting at the Kitchen table, drinking tea and eating toast. He didn't miss the blister pack of paracetamol on the table and the half empty glass of water either. The older man was still in obvious pain.

"Alright,how are you doing this morning Paddy?" Adam greeted, pulling a chair out and sitting down at the table with the vet.

Paddy nodded his head as he swallowed his mouthful of tea. "Fine- a little sore, but fine."

"How was it last night when I left? He didn't give you anymore trouble did he?" Adam questioned. He couldn't see any evidence of Aaron losing his head once again after he left. The older man did look worse now that the bruising had had time to come out and the swelling to produce, but there were no added marks.

"None, none at all. He was alright." Paddy answered, remembering what had gone on last night.

"Where is he then? Hiding in his room?" Adam asked, nodding his head towards the stairs. The young mechanic should be so ashamed to even show his face after what he done to Paddy.

"He's not here." Paddy told him, pushing the last of his toast round his plate.

"Has he gone to work?" Adam asked a little surprised.

Paddy shook his head. "Not that I know of. He took off last night, packed a bag and left." He explained to the younger teen. "I tried to stop him but. . ."

"He's unbelievable. He can't even stick around and face up to what he's done?!" Adam fumed.

"It's not like that Adam." The older man tried to correct him. "He's- There's a lot going on in his head. You didn't hear him last night. . ." Paddy shivered at remembering the words he had heard from the younger man, how much he loathed himself, the self hatred and such low opinion of himself.

"I don't care Paddy. He should have at least stuck around. Faced up to what he's done." Adam said shaking his head. "I can't believe him. Just you wait till I see him-."

"No- Adam, please don't. Just leave it to me will you please?" Paddy pleaded. He didn't want Adam making things worse. Things were already pretty messed up as they were.

"Fine."

"Thank you."

"What are you going to tell people? When they ask about your bruises?" Adam questioned.

"I'll tell them I got mugged in town. S-some youths or something, didn't see them." Paddy answered, he had already thought about it.

"How are you going to explain still having your wallet and phone?" Adam back fired.

". . . didn't have them on me, left them in the car or something. When they found out I didn't have them they got angry. Simple, I've got it all sorted Adam." Paddy told him.

"I'm just worried about you Paddy, after last night- I just. . ."

"I know Adam. I'm really thankful. But I'm fine. We're fine." Paddy said with a smile, despite his bust lip.

"Do you want me to go look for him?" Adam asked. He knew the older man would worry about Aaron, not knowing where he was or what he was getting up to.

"No, you're fine. He'll turn up." Paddy said hopeful.

"If you're sure. . ." Adam said, standing up.

"I am. But thank you." Paddy said

Aaron woke up on a bench underneath a bus shelter a few miles from Hotton just as the sun started to rise up. He shivered as the cold got to him, the bitterly March wind blew round him causing him to shrink further into his thick hooded jacket. It wasn't the first time he had slept rough, but at least the other times it had been during the summer months when he had. He tried to hold back a huge yawn, his eyes watering from the lack of sleep that he had not gotten. He had walked miles during the night, after leaving Smithy Cottage. The younger man had walked and walked, trying to get as far away as he could. It had been too late to catch a bus when he had run off with just his backpack on him. So instead he had walked along the dark creepy country roads with just the full moon for light, until he couldn't walk no more. There was no way he could have stuck around in Emmerdale. He had needed to get as far away as possible and he was still going to carry on getting as far as he could. As soon as the first bus would arrive going to god knows where, he was getting on it.

He couldn't face going back to Paddy's. Aaron felt sick just thinking about it. His chest tightened at the thought of Paddy or Adam telling everyone in the village what kind of sick monster he was. Everyone looking at him differently, he couldn't bare it. He needed to get as far away as he could. Get himself together and maybe if he was brave enough, go back. He just hoped against anything, that Adam and Paddy were good enough friends to keep his darkest secret to themselves, between them. If he had a magic wish to go back and try even harder for none of them to ever find out. He would. He would take that chance.

Aaron was glad when the first bus arrived an hour later, pulling up directly in front of him. Finally, he could get inside somewhere relatively warm away from the cold, harsh winds of the dales. He wasted no time climbing on board. He wasn't the only one to get on at that stop either, a few other people had began to gather round the bus stop a few minutes before the bus arrived, which so happened to be going to Hotton. He didn't realise until he sat at the back of the bus, gazing out the window, that he was starving, his stomach giving off a dull gurgling noise to alert him.

After paying for the bus fare into Hotton he still had a few bits of change left on him, enough to get something hot to eat and drink from a small cafe in town. He chose a pretty basic one on the corner of a road where the bus first stopped in town. Ordering a bacon sandwich and a cup of coffee, he took a seat by one of the windows while he waited for it be brought over. He was in no rush. There was nowhere for him to go. He had thought about going to his dad's and beg him to let him stay with him again, start a fresh, somewhere where he could keep his secret unknown. But no, he knew his dad wouldn't want to give him the time of day. Gordon had washed his hands of him. He wasn't good enough for him, didn't fit into his ideal perfect family. He now had a new child to care for, not his own, but one that he thought was much better than Aaron, too young to put a foot out of line.

"Here you are love." The woman who had served him said as she came over to him and placed his ordered on the table in front of him. She gave him a warm smile as he looked up.

"Thanks." He mumbled, immediately taking hold of the coffee cup to warm his hands.

"You look frozen through love!" She commented.

"Yeah." Aaron shrugged.

"That will soon warm you up." She promised him before heading back over to stand behind the counter at the back.

Paddy sat in his lounge, holding his mobile in his hand. He was waiting for Aaron to call him. He had tried countless amounts of times throughout the morning to get hold of him. For the first few times, Aaron's phone had just rung out until it hit voicemail, then each time after the first five calls, he'd been put straight through to voicemail. Even though the younger man wasn't answering his phone, he knew that he was somehow okay. He was able to hit the busy button on his phone each time the vet called. It still didn't stop him worrying though. He needed to make sure that Aaron was okay. He needed to be back home.

By midday, Aaron was board of walking round Hotton pointlessly. He had covered the same amount of ground countless of times. By the time he had walked past the same takeaway shop for the fourth time, he had decided to get in contact with Natasha and see what she was doing. He needed to immerse himself in that type of world again, he had been so close to letting the sick version of himself take over, he needed to prove to himself that it was just a minor slip up. He was into girls. Not guys.

After finishing a two minute phone call, asking Natasha where she was, what she was doing, and if she wanted to hang out, Aaron was heading over to hers and knocking on her door.

"What's up?" Natasha asked as soon as they were sat down in her lounge, watching pointless t.v.

They had the flat to themselves. The other girls were at work and Natasha usually had the place to her self on that particular day. Aaron wasn't used to hanging out with Natasha if they weren't heading to or in some bar/night club, getting drunk and having a good time. He had never seen the laid back, casual version of her.

Aaron screwed up his face. "Nothing." He said.

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Hm- like I believe that." She said as she stretched out her legs on the coffee table.

"What's that meant to mean?" Aaron snapped, still on the defence from last night.

"Nothing, I'm just wondering why you're here during the day wanting to just hang out and you have a heavy bag with you." Natasha simply pointed out. "So what's gone on? I'm not stupid."

"Nothing's gone on." Aaron told her.

"Something has. You're hiding something." She stated. "Or hiding from someone."

"I'm not hiding from anything or anyone!" Aaron snapped. "-Sorry, I. . . I just needed to get away for a bit." He quickly apologised when he realised he was losing his cool with her for no reason. "Things were just getting to me, that's all." He shrugged off, hoping she would leave things at that."

"Well. . . I can help you forget about it all." She smiled with a mischievous glint in her eyes as her hand wondered up his arm.

"Yeah?"

A few hours later Aaron woke up stretched out on his side, underneath the many white comforters that lay across Natasha's bed, completely naked. He could feel Natasha beneath his arm that laid across her bare waist. He listened to her soft breathes as she slept on. It couldn't have been too late in the afternoon, early evening at the latest. They had both found themselves back in her bed at some point, losing themselves amongst each other, Aaron so desperately trying to convince himself otherwise. Who better to help him forget about the real him? Natasha was a stunning girl, any guy would be gay not to fancy her. So how come he had to try so hard to get turned on by her? How come he had to force images and thoughts out of his head as he felt her hands run up his skin or her teeth nibble the soft spot of his neck?

These thoughts buzzed in his head as he laid in bed with her. He wasn't gay, he couldn't be gay. Even Adam, his best mate, had told him how wrong it was. After he had tried to kiss him, the young farmer had fumed his hatred towards the sickening thing he was about to do to him. He would never forget. He knew his uncle Cain would have far worse things to say about it and he couldn't hear those words. Adam's had cut him enough.

Using his arm, draped across her waist, Aaron pulled Natasha closer to him before brushing away a lock of hair that laid against her neck. He began to kiss down her shoulder, along her neck and jaw line until he reached her lips, pressing a long rousing kiss to her lips to waken her. While he was doing that, he ran his hand down her side, resting it on her hip and tracing light patterns with his forefinger and index finger, letting her know he was game for round three.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N – I know it's been a looooooooooooooooooooooong while since I last updated. I've been extremely busy, apologies.

It had been two full days since Paddy had last seen Aaron, when he had packed a small bag and fled in the dead of the night, tears streaming down both of their faces. At first he hadn't been to worried about the teen, he had tried calling him but his calls had been sent straight to voicemail after a few rings. However now he had had time to think about the young mechanic's safety and frame of mind he was beginning to grow concerned. Nobody had heard from for the past few days, he hadn't showed up to work and he hadn't returned home at all. Cain was annoyed, more than annoyed with the teen's disappearing act. He showed up at Paddy's door to confront the skiving younger man only to find he wasn't there and Paddy wearing a number of bruises on his skin.

To say the older mechanic was a little shocked was something, he was curious to know what the hell was going on. He knew Paddy wasn't the type of man to squeal on anyone, so he knew he had to push him to tell him what exactly was going on. Why was he covered in bruises? Why hadn't Aaron shown up to work the past two days? And where the hell was he?

"What's going on?" Cain questioned as he pushed his way into Smithy Cottage.

"What do you mean what's going on?" Paddy asked, acting naive.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about Paddy?" Cain snapped, turning on his heel to face the older man as they now stood in the kitchen. "Where is he and what's he done this time?"

It wasn't the first time his nephew would have raised his fists to a parent figure. He can remember all to clearly the black eye that Aaron's step mother sported when she had gotten on the wrong side of him over thieving a petty bottle of vodka.

"He hasn't done anything." Paddy quickly tried to correct him.

Cain snorted. "I'm not stupid Paddy. I know he did that to you."

"I was mugged." Paddy told him.

"Whatever you say." Cain sighed. "So where is he then? Ran off has he?"

"H-he er. . . he's gone- . . . er." Paddy tried to think. He couldn't say Aaron had gone to stay with a friend. He didn't have any!

"Should have known he wouldn't stick around, knows what me or his mum would to him when we found out about this." Cain growled, disgusted with his nephew. Sure, he had raised his fists plenty of times over the years, shed a bit of blood and broken a few bones. But never had he shown such disrespect for someone who only had his best interests at heart from day one. Paddy deserved better than that.

"Cain- please, don't. We've sorted it." Paddy told him urgently. He didn't want Cain messing things up when he had only just managed to get through to Aaron. He knew what an influence Cain had over the teen.

"So what did you do then? –to make him hit you?" Cain questioned, staring him straight in the eye showing him he wanted the truth.

"It was something or noting." Paddy shrugged off. He wasn't going there with Cain. He had promised the young mechanic he wouldn't.

"Doesn't look like it to me."

"Yes well Cain, just like you and many other people. He doesn't like to be pushed." Paddy snapped, growing annoyed and panicked with all the questions being thrown his way.

"Hmm. . ." Cain hummed, eyeing him suspiciously. "Right well, as soon as you find out where he is or hear anything from him, tell him I'm not happy. . . really not happy." He told Paddy as he began to walk towards the front door.

"You won't tell anyone will you Cain? – That it was Aaron who. . ." Paddy called after him. He didn't want the whole village knowing, pitying him. He couldn't even defend himself against a kid.

"We don't rat on our own!" Cain barked back, leaving it at that.

"Of course."

Later on that day, Paddy was busy tidying up the surgery when Adam popped in. He was on an errand run for his dad picking up some medication for one of the cattle back at the farm but he was also there to see how the older vet was getting on and if he had heard anything from Aaron. He too had not seen the younger man since the other night. He had his suspicions on where he would be.

The older vet reached into a cupboard to pull out a small paper bag containing a box of medication addressed to Butlers Farm. "Here you are. Tell your dad it should do till I come over next to see how they're getting on." Paddy told the young farmer, handing him the item.

"Heard anything from Aaron?" Adam asked as he took the medication, stuffing it into a pocket in his jacket.

Paddy shook his head. "No. I take it you haven't."

"Sorry."

"Let's just hope he's not getting into any trouble." Paddy tried to laugh off.

"He won't be." Adam tried to assure him. "He's trying to get his head together."

"hmm. . . we can only hope." Paddy sighed walking Adam out of the surgery. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah see you Paddy." Adam called to him as he began to walk back to his quad bike.

He picked up his helmet and sat down on his quad bike, placing the helmet on his lap as he took his phone out of his pocket. He didn't set off straight away, he dialled Aaron's number for what felt like the hundredth time since his disappearing act and sat still as he waited to be connected. Just like all the other times he had tried to get through to the young mechanic his calls went to voicemail.

"Look Aaron, It's Adam. I don't know what you're playing at but you need to get back home. Let Paddy know you're okay. Everything's fine now- well no it's not fine. But everything can be sorted out if you come home. . . just try not to get into any trouble." Adam said on the voicemail before ending the call.

He knew just like all the other's they would go unheard.

Aaron lay sprawled out on his back, Natasha curled up beside him, both naked wrapped up in her white bed sheets. It was midday but that didn't seem to bother the two. They had gotten into a routine already, or bad habits. Natasha would go out a few hours each day for work and return later on, stripping herself from her work clothes as soon as she could and doing the same to Aaron's clothes each time. They would end up in the lounge or in her bed room, getting used to each other's bodies not caring what time it was or if they should be doing something else. Where Natasha was having fun, Aaron was only playing along to convince himself, to hide the self he couldn't stand. This was the life most guys dreamed of, wasn't it? Their girl coming home, wanting them in their bed, spending most waking hours under or above the sheets working up a sweat before sleeping the rest of the hours away. Natasha seemed to be up for it whenever, much to her flatmates disapproval sometimes. A few times they had been caught in the act in the lounge by the girls, laughing at the disgust on their faces as they stumbled into her room to carry on with what they were doing. However, Aaron still felt like a weight was weighing down on him, no matter how hard he tried to shrug it off.

"Who was that?" Natasha mumbled into his side.

"No one." Aaron told her. No one important.

"Was it Adam again?" Natasha asked, waking up. "I'm starting to think he fancies you." She teased.

"Shut up." Aaron snapped.

"I'm only messing." Natasha told him, as she leaned over him to press a kiss to his lips, wanting to put him in a better mood. "Me and the girls are going out tonight. You should come- actually no, you are coming."

"Don't I get a say-"

"No you don't." Natasha smirked.

"I'm not going to Bar West." Aaron quickly made clear, remembering where her and the girls often ended up.

"We're not. One of Louella's friend's is playing at a club in town tonight." She explained to him, sitting up and stretching her arms above her head and arching her back.

"oh. . . right."

In The Woolpack Adam was sitting with Scarlett on her very, very late lunch break, discussing about their plan's for that night. They had both decided that they were in need of a night out and Adam wanted to take her out for a meal. The two sat at the bar, as Scarlett sipped on her lemonade and thought about where exactly she wanted them to go.

"Don't take all day thinking about it." Adam laughed when a minute had passed of just sitting there.

"I'm thinking!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Let me think!"

"Alright, alright." Adam chuckled, nicking a crisp from Scarlett's plate.

"Oi Adam!" A voice barked across the pub at him.

He turned to see who it was, his guess on who it was confirmed. The dark haired mechanic stalked up to him, resting his elbow and side on the table as he spoke.

"Where's that friend of yours disappeared to?" Cain demanded.

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "I know as much as you do."

"Are you sure about that?" The older man pushed, he wasn't convinced. He knew Adam would be doing what any mate would do, protecting their friend.

"Yeah I am. Any way I would have thought you would know where he was more than anyone." Adam dug. "You're more alike than anyone else."

"Watch it." Cain warned.

"I'm just saying. You've vanished a few times. You should know where he's ran off to." Adam said daringly.

"-Woah! Who's done a runner? This better not be my Aaron you're talking about?" Chastity interrupted. She had walked into the pub with Charity for a drink and heard the two men talking as she went to order them drinks.

Cain rolled his eyes. He had been hoping not to get Chas involved. Just because of her sheer lack of calm bone in her body.

"Aaron." Adam told her. She was going to find out sooner or later.

"Aaron's done a runner?" Scarlett butted in.

"Zip it rich girl! This doesn't concern you." Cain snapped at her, earning a warning glare from Adam.

"I want to know what's happened to Aaron?" Chas continued. "So where is he? Where has he gone?"

"We don't know." Cain told his sister.

"You don't know! When did he run off?!" Chastity exclaimed. Why was she only hearing this now?

"The other night, after Paddy-." Adam began.

"He ran off after something or nothing the other night apparently." Cain lied. "He got into an argument with Paddy over him not defending himself when he was mugged. He thought he was muppet for not doing so." Cain lied through his teeth, a natural at it now to protect those he was concerned about.

"And he just took off because of that?" Chas asked, a little bewildered.

"Paddy was mugged?" Charity squealed.

"Yes he was mugged and yes he just ran off. Things escalated apparently. A few words were shared." Cain told them both.

"Right well, I'm going over there now. I need to know what's going on- what happened. I need to know where he is." Chas announced as she gathered her bag and coat. "I can't believe he's done this."

"Look sis, I don't think-."

"I'm going over there to find out what the hell is going on! I'm his mother Cain." Chas hissed before she stormed out of the pub.

"Thanks for that." Cain hissed at the young farmer.

Aaron stood under the shower of water in Natasha's bathroom as she stood in front of the mirror applying mascara and blusher, smirking in the mirror when she caught him watching.

"Come on, we need to get a move on." Natasha said, picking up the red dress she had hung on the back of the door and pulling it on over her head until it settled perfectly on her hips.

"Shouldn't have distracted me." Aaron said, turning the shower off and grabbing the closest towel to wrap around his middle.

"I can't help it." Natasha argued.

"'spose not." Aaron shrugged, following her out of the bathroom and across the hall to her room.

Soon enough they were heading into town, walking the short distance into the centre of the town. The girls huddling close to one and other to keep from the chill in the air, while Aaron just strolled beside them puffing out air and watching the clouds of smoke swirl in front of him, bored.

"Hang on a minute! I need to get some money out." Kate suddenly announced as they passed by a cash machine. "Hold on a sec."

They stood around waiting for the smaller girl to finish her transaction. She took a while, pressing the wrong buttons and cursing when she entered the wrong pin a couple of times.

Aaron had slouched himself against a wall a few feet ahead, watching the cars as they whizzed passed. He gazed up and down the street, they were now down one of the streets that held many of the posh restaurants and bars. He watched a few couples enter in and out of a few of the restaurants. He recognised one of the couples leaving one just across the road to him. Adam and Scarlett, he tried to hide himself, looking around for somewhere to disappear behind or shrink round a corner but no luck. The young farmer spotted him and wasn't going to allow him to just walk away.

Adam left Scarlett standing outside Frankie's as he crossed the road and made his way over to Aaron at incredible speed. He wasn't allowing Aaron to make a run for it this time. He looked the young mechanic up and down, taking in his appearance.

"We've all been worried about you." Adam shot at the older teen.

Aaron shrugged.

"Don't act like that Aaron." Adam snapped. "Everyone's wondering where you are. Paddy's going out of his mind."

"Yeah well. . . it works out better this way." Aaron told him, not making eye contact.

"How? What?"

"I'm not losing my temper around anyone." Aaron explained. "I won't hit Paddy again."

"You're not going to do that again. You need to come home. You're going to lose your job." Adam said.

"How do you know I won't do it again?" Aaron hissed leaning in close to Adam. "Once I lose my head, that's it! It doesn't take much to push me."

"I know, because you wouldn't dare. Not again." Adam promised him. "Cain knows, your mum knows to."

"How?!-." Aaron barked, furious to find out that they now knew of what he had done. They better not know what had pushed him to react in such a violent way. Paddy and Adam better not have uttered a single word about the monster he could become. It was his secret!

"Don't worry. They only know about you beating Paddy senseless." Adam assured coldly. "And they're not happy about it."

"Why would they be?" Aaron snapped, disgusted with himself.

"Well anyway you need to come home, sort this mess out." Adam left him with before crossing the road back over to Scarlett.

Sort this mess out. What mess? Where did he start? His whole life was one big mess!

He roughly pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and a lighter, lighting up before Kate and the other's caught up with him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah fine."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N - I know it seems like forever since I've last updated any of my fics on here and I'm really really sorry. I've been extremely busy with one thing or another! Hope these chapters make it up to you. Thank you for such great feedback!

Sunday brought with it miserable weather. The rain drizzled down pathetically, casting a dull cloud to loom over the village. Aaron hopped off the bus at the top of main street, his bag hitched high on his shoulder as he gazed around taking in the atmosphere.

He didn't want to be back. If he could he would be half way across the country, finding a new life for himself. Somewhere, where nobody knew his name or what he was hiding. But sadly that wasn't the case. He was back in Emmerdale, back to the ear ache he would no doubt receive off of his mother and the kind words paddy would offer for him to confide in. It seemed he couldn't hide round Natasha's forever. He had a home to go to and a job to keep, one he couldn't do from the brunette girl's bed.

The young mechanic swallowed back the bundle of nerves that had suddenly grew inside of him before heading up the lawn to smithy cottage. He wasn't sure whether to knock or walk in, which was silly. He didn't feel as though he deserved to call smithy home any more. He had ruined that privilege the moment he terrorized paddy in his own home. He just wanted to sneak in, unseen and hide in his root until he was found or found the courage to get his act together. He was scared about what had been said about him while he was away. Had they been swapping words of disgust or hatred towards him?

His chances of sneaking into the cottage unseen by anyone were ruined when he was spotted by his mother across the road as she walked out of the local cafe holding a paper bag. She shouted at him across the street to get his attention.

She didn't sound happy. She sounded furious with him. A tone Aaron knew to well, it only meant trouble for him ahead and a whole lot of ear ache! He debated on whether he could make it inside and upstairs in the safety of his room before she got a chance to totter over in her trademark heels. He knew he could make it. But it would only prolong the time until he would have to face her.

"Don't you dare think about running off again!" She shrieked reading his mind. "I want a word with you kid!"

Slowly, the young mechanic turned around to face his mother and see just how angry she was. If they were in a cartoon animation, he swore there would be smoke billowing out if her ears and her head exploding.

"You make me so angry Aaron, get in side. Now!" She barked a few steps from Aaron.

The teen decided to do as he was told and keep a safe distance between them as well just in case. He had been on the receiving end of her clips round the ear too many times. Aaron let them into the house, moving into the kitchen and ditching his bag on the floor by the table.

"Do you want to start explaining to me what the hell is going on?" Chas hissed.

Aaron kept his eyes cast downwards to the floor, frightened to see just how angry his mother was with him. What was he to say? How much had already been to her? Did she just know about the attack or was she told even more? He hoped to god it was just the attack on Paddy she knew about.

"Well...!" She pushed slamming her hands down on the surface of the kitchen table which Aaron had made sure to put between them.

Paddy had been changing the water for the caged animals in is care in the surgery when he started to hear raised voices. He had brought in a locum vet to help within the surgeryand he didnt want her or pearl to start asking questions. He was still in a bit of pain, his ribs being the main cause so he had brought in Rhona, a lively vet, who helped out with the call out visits and seemed to have thrown herself into clearing up is paperwork mess. He wasn't complaining. But he knew someone would start complaining about the raised voices sounding through the walls between smithy cottage and the surgery. Quickly, he left the task he was doing until later and made is way through the door to his home.

The arguing was coming from the kitchen. He made a bee line for the room and found Chas laying into Aaron, who stood there taking it.

"I'm disgusted with you Aaron! All that man has ever done is show you kindness and you do that to repay him! Knock fifty shades of purple into him, are you going to do this every time somebody does something you don't like?" Chas raged, not leaving a breath for anyone to interrupt.

"-Chas!" Paddy shot across, stopping her momentarily as she glanced his way. He could see Aaron didn't look comfortable at all, he looked as though he was going to bolt at any moment. They had already sorted it, spoken about it. The teen had told him how deeply sorry he was and he had forgiven him. It was history.

"Happy with your handy work, Aaron? First Sandra, now Paddy, what's wrong with you?" Chas questioned, gesturing to the older vet.

"Chas," Paddy tried again. "I don't think there is any need for thus. We've already sorted it out between us. It's in the past." He explained to her, hoping to calm the dark haired woman.

"Yes Paddy, you two may have spoken about it. But I'm his mother, I can't let him get away with it." Chas told him.

Aaron scoffed at the mention of her being his mother. What sort of mother had she been to him? She had ditched him countless of times when she got bored of playing mum to him.

"What was that for?!" Chas jumped on Aaron, glaring at him. She wasn't getting much calmer.

"You're not much of mum are you? What makes you think you can just run round here and start lecturing!" Aaron snapped at her full of venom, he still hadn't forgiven her for running off with the village serum, leaving him behind and broken hearted Paddy.

"Oh, don't even go there Aaron! I've tried my hardest with you and this is all the thanks I get!" Chad fumed, pointing an angry finger at him.

"What for a matter of 5 minutes at a time before you got bored and ditched me? Yeah you've tried your hardest, well done." The young mechanic mocked, clapping his hands together a few times.

"Can I just say, before this gets out of hand, and before either of you say something you don't mean, that we all calm down." Paddy suggested feeling like a referee. "Should I put the kettle on, make us all a cup of tea and we can all sit down calmly and talk it through."

"No I've got work. I'm gonna be late." Chas told him.

Aaron scoffed again.

"Don't think I won't be back later!" She threatened. "This... It needs sorting."

"Whatever." Aaron sighed, knowing a better offer would make itself available to his mother.

"We'll see you later then Chas." Paddy said to her before she left.

The kitchen seemed incredibly quite, upon the exit of the teens mother. Paddy looked towards the younger man. His gaze was looking anyone but at him and is hands were balled up into fists with his sleeves pulled round them. He was on edge, uncomfortable, shifting from foot to the other.

Paddy rocked back and forth on his heels once, trying to think of something to put the younger man at ease. "Glad your back." He said lamely. "Was starting to wonder of you had run off to Mexico or somewhere." He tried to joke.

"Don't Paddy." Aaron said making the older man jump.

"Dont what?" He asked confused.

"Be nice to me." He said before he fled up the stairs, taking his bag with him. A few seconds later he heard his bedroom door shut and lock behind him.

Back to the silent treatment it seemed. He had gotten the teen to open once and that had come at price. He wasn't going go risk it again, pushing him to start talking again. He wasn't stupid. However he also knew that Aaron keeping quite again wasn't good. Adam had told him last night that he had seen him and spoken to him, he'd been with Natasha. The young farmer had explained to him that Aaron had some sort of modern fling going one with the girl. He knew perfectly well what the young mechanic was trying to do. But until he was willing to open up and talk about things, there was nothing more he could do to help other than let him know he was there.

With an exhausted sigh, Paddy headed back to the surgery.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N - Second update for today!

Over at butler's farm, Holly was just coming out of the family bathroom after having just spent the past several minutes knelt beside the toilet bowl. She was almost sick all the time now, morning sickness wasn't just in the mornings! She managed to hide it from her family at college, they didn't know about her excusing herself from classes to empty her stomach and when she was at home she was lucky enough to only be battling the certain symptom when her family were all out at work or on the farm. Unfortunately today, she hadn't been so lucky. Moira had overheard her throwing up in the bathroom as she came out of Adams room with dirty laundry she had found scattered around his room.

"Are you okay Holly?" The farmers wife asked her daughter who looked a little worse for wear as she emerged from the bathroom.

"Yeah I'm fine, just something I must have ate." Holly lied, trying to fix her hair.

Moira raised a questioning eyebrow as she ran her eyes over the teen. "You sure?"

Holly nodded her head. "Yeah, I think it was that chicken sandwich I had earlier." She made up, tugging on the material of her jumper round her middle when her mothers eyes skimmed over her.

"Hmm... If you say so." Moira sighed, taking the basket of dirty laundry downstairs.

Holly spent the rest of the day in her room. She dare not risk the quizzical looks from her mother again. She still hadn't told anyone apart from Roz about her secret. She couldn't. How do you tell your parent's you're going to be a teenage mum? You just can't. If she didn't think about it, it want happening. She hadnt been able to go through with her appointment at the clinic. She had made the decision to keep the baby that was growing inside of her but she didn't want anybody to find out. It was a ticking time bomb before anybody found out. She could only hide it for so long.

She had overheard Adam telling their parents that Aaron had ran off and they didnt know where he was. The father of her baby had done a disappearing act and she hadn't even told him about her- their pregnancy. What would he do if she did tell him? He wasn't golden daddy material. She felt on her own on this one. She couldn't deal with the shame and disappointment from her parents when or if she told them. She was planning on keeping it a secret for as long as she could.

Roz had teased her the other day. Bringing in a baby name book to college, and opening it up to pages with names she thought appropriate. She had heard about the Dingles, their naming tradition. It was Holly in fact who had told her, weeks and weeks ago after breaking up with Aaron, trying to think of more reasons why she should break up with the young mechanic. Her friend had highlighted names such as Matthew, Abigail, Eve, Daniel and Adam, saying they would fit perfectly with the family tradition now that she was having a Dingle baby. Holly had thrown the book at her so called friend. She couldn't bare thinking about being part of that family, sitting round the table with Aaron's drunken grandad and endless cousins.

She was so unbelievably annoyed with herself. Why had she let herself get into this state? She had a promising future! Studying art a level to hopefully disappear in the summer to her dream university studying art history. That wasnt going to happen now was it? She was joining the other girls she had gone to school with who were also teen mums, pushing a pram round while their baby daddy's were no where to be seen. She couldn't hate herself anymore than she did already.

The past few days since Aaron's return the older vet hadn't seen that much of the teen. Occasional he would catch him leaving or maybe popping into the cafe or local shop but that was it. It seemed the young mechanic was doing everything he could to keep out of the way of the older man. Which was rather unfortunate, Paddy couldn't think of why he wad avoiding him. They had put the attack behind them, he ad forgiven him. So there was no need for Aaron to be hiding from him. Wednesday he did manage to catch the younger man in the pub. He was heading in there to speak to Maroon about coming over that night when Aaron was sitting in the corner eating from a bowl of chips and sipping a pint of larger on his own on his lunch break. He automatically made a beeline for him.

"You alright?" Paddy asked as he stood in front of him, resting his hands on the empty seat. Aaron had managed to sneak out again that morning for work without bumping into Paddy in the kitchen.

Aaron nodded his head as he swallowed his mouthful. "Yeah."

"Didnt see you this morning-" he began before he was cut off by the teen.

"Yeah I gotta go. Late back to work." He interrupted, scraping back his chair and heading towards the door before he ad finished his sentence, leaving half is lunch untouched.

Paddy stood, staring off to where Aaron had then disappeared to.

"What was all that about?" Maroon called over from behind the bar. He had then appeared from the kitchen just as the teen had legged it out the door.

Paddy shook his head. "He's been avoiding me for a while now. Taking clyde out whenever he can, hiding up in his room..." He reeled off.

"Who's been hiding up on their room?" Chas asked as she to appeared at the bar.

"What are you doing here?" Paddy questioned a little thrown.

"I'm meeting our Debbie for a drink, not that's anything to do with you." She quipped. "So who's hiding in their room? You haven't made a move on Liz have you Marlon?"

"What? Me?!" Marlon shrieked. "No!"

Paddy giggled. "Wrong woman. It's Rhona who should be hiding."

Marlon glared at his best friend.

"Oh do tell... -but first I want to know whos hiding. It isn't our Aaron is it?" She sighed. She hadn't seen much of him herself. Apart from just then, he had barged past her as she entered the pub. Not even a simple greeting was sent her way from her only child.

"Yeah, Paddy was then saying he hasn't seen that much of him either." Marlon told her.

"I'm not surprised! He's still ashamed of what he did to Paddy here." Chas let out before she realised what she had said.

"You what?" Marlon squeaked, looking from Paddy to Chas with wide eyes.

The older vet shot daggers at Chas with his eyes. How could she be so careless?! They had all agreed, Adam, Chas and himself to blame it on the lie he had spun about being mugged in town if anyone asked about the array of bruises that had found themselves on his skin. They had all agreed. They new Aaron was beating himself up enough about it as it was and everyone already thought e was a thug, they didn't need there assumptions confirmed. But no, Chas had then gone let the cat out the bag with Marlon. He hadn't told his best mate for a reason. He knew there would be questions if he did, endless questions and he didn't think he had the answers to them or at least wanted to tell him.

"Did Aaron do this to you?!" Marlon demanded quickly growing angry with his younger second cousin. He was disgusted.

Paddy looked at Chas. At least she had the decency to look guilty. "N-no- yes... But I can explain Marlon. It wasnt his fault." Paddy stuttered, trying to explain quickly.

"So what... You just ran into his fists?" Marlon threw at him sarcastically, now raising his eyebrows at his friend as he watched him squirm.

"-don't be s-silly." Paddy tried to laugh off.

"This isn't funny Paddy. You're being attacked by the kid you live with. How do you know he won't do it again?" Marlon commented. "You should be safe in your own home! Not in fear of some mindless chav!"

"Woah! Hang on, that's my son your talking about, course he won't do it again." Chas piped up.

"I beg to differ Chas, he's just like Cain. A bully!" The chef continued still help bent on voicing his anger about the teen.

"Hold on! Hes not a bully. Yes, he can be a little bit like Cain... Moody, argumentative, scowl at lot... An awful lot but he's not a bully." Paddy corrected his friend. "I'm not saying he was right for doing what he did, it was partly my fault. I pushed him to far. Just like anyone, he has a limit before they snap."

"But not anyone will turn their friend black and blue!" Marlon sighed frustratedly. "So what did you push him on? To do the dishes? Hoover up? Put some laundry in? What was it that made him lose his temper ..."

"Yeah what was it? You never did actually say, well not properly." Chas asked too. She had heard Paddy say they were arguing over something, but didn't say what.

Paddy opened his mouth to talk, still trying to think of what lie he could possibly come up with that would cover them. He couldnt tell the truth. It wasn't his to tell. "W-w-we... We w-were... It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand." Paddy stumbled, failing to come up with anything. "All you need to know is that its okay, we've sorted it, I feel safe, he's not a bully and he's extremly sorry."

Marlon wasn't happy with that answer. He wanted to know exactly what had pushed his cousin over the edge. He had done a complete number on his best friend. He knew he would be having words with him when he next saw him. He wasnt getting away with it, oh no.

"That's not good enough! Look at the state of you." Marlon commented yet again.

"If you're not going to drop it then I'll go back to work." Paddy told him.

"Yeah put Paddy..." Chas began, she was curious to as to what had been said to make her son lose his head so much. He was a lose canon as it was but something major must have happened. It was all rather strange.

"I think Rhona needed some extra help earlier," Paddy announced to them, turning to leave. He wasn't going to spend his lunch break fighting these two off.

"Paddy-" Marlon shouted after him before turning to his cousin when the older vet was long out of ear shot. "You boy has got a lot to answer to! I'm going to find out what happened."

"My boy has said he was sorry." Chas snapped.

"Yeah well sorry doesn't cut it." The chef sniped.

Frightened of falling out with her cousin because of something she may say, chas bit her tongue and tried to catch Diane's attention behind the bar to be served.


	20. Chapter 20

Cain had left Aaron and Ryan to get on with a few cars while he and Debbie had disappeared to go collect some new parts and complete a few errands. He didn't mind so much. At least with the both of them away he didn't have them on his case all time. Ryan was alright, he was at the back of the garage with his head stuck under the bonnet of an old Astra that had been back to Dingle Automotives twice in the past month! According to the owner of the beat up white car, there was 'a funny noise' coming from the engine. Aaron had declined his offer of giving him a hand with finding the source of the problem, instead he was now concentrating on changing the two front tyres of a flashy looking Clio that had been left in his hands, or should be.

The young mechanic was currently leaning his back against the driver's side door, the new tyre resting against his leg as he pulled out his mobile and ran through his inbox. He'd been texting Natasha on off a few times, sharing explicit texts that any boy his age would be bragging about. He'd even received a few pictures of her that were meant to help him out. But they didn't. It was like looking at a picture of a beach. He was about to text Natasha back; she'd sent him a cheeky text letting him know she was bored and about to hop in the shower. However, he found himself scrolling further through his inbox, looking at past texts he had received from Jackson. Remembering the smell of his aftershave that lingered in the air whenever he was around and the brief kiss they had shared. As soon as he realised what he was doing, what promise he was close to breaking to himself, he switched his phone off and chucked it on top of the tool box that was at  
his feet, getting rid of temptation. That part of him didn't exist anymore. Yeah, Paddy and Adam might know but as far he was concerned that wasn't him. Him, chasing after girls and being s top lad is what he was.

He'd made a promise, a clean break when he vanished to Natasha's for those few days. He wasn't going to immerse himself in that type of. . . life! He wasn't going to do that. He was going to be just like all of his friends, blending into the background just like everyone else. He didn't want to stand out. He hated being centre of attention and that's exactly what he would be if anybody found out that he liked guys! He would be the talk of the village. All he wanted to do was blend in and go on being unnoticed, he'd managed doing just that this far in his life.

"Oi Aaron?! Are you going to get round changing both of those tyres? Because there's a car over there that needs it's oil changing when you're finished!" Ryan piped up behind him, making him jump, so much for not getting any hassle from Ryan.

"Aright, what's gotten into you?!" Aaron snapped back. "It's not as if you've done much! You've been fiddling about with that motor all morning!"

"I have not been fiddling about-. . . you know what never mind. Just please get on with it, I want to get off on time tonight." Ryan admitted.

"Oh yeah." Aaron smirked taking on a different tone to his defensive one from before. "Yeah." Ryan tried to shrug off.

"Off to see Katie are we?" Aaron asked innocently.

"Yes."

"Oh very nice." Aaron teased.

"Shut up."

"As you wish."

He was about to get back to finishing the car off that he was currently lent against when he saw Holly walk past the garage to the shop. She looked a little different, her clothes more baggy as if she had put on weight and she seemed different in the face. Aaron didn't know what it was, he was man for gods sake, but there was deffinitely something different about her. He watched her hurry into the shop, her head down as she tugged her coat around her front and adjusted her scarf. Since she had ended things between them, she had been pretty distant. He wasn't sure whether or not to go check to see if she was okay. Things has ended pretty badly between, at least he thought it did, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that Holly tried to avoid him as best she could.

"Aaron, tyres!" Ryan reprimanded from inside the garage again.

Aaron shook his head. Biting back the words on the tip of his tongue.

He had managed a peaceful afternoon at work with just Ryan nagging him a couple of times to get a move on. Adam had popped by as well, with his quadbike again needing it fixed. But I was worth the amusement of the older man running round the garage, Tidying up as quick as he could at the end of the day and screaming in frustration when Aaron took his time. The older man has locked the garage up and rocketed down the forecourt to meet Katie, leaving then teen to shuffle blissfully behind him on his way to the pub.

"Alright?" Aaron greeted to Victoria as he stepped over to the bar and saw her behind it, looking bored.

"Yeah. Birthday treat!" Victoria sarcastically exclaimed as he stepped back to let Diane pass.

"Having a party?" Aaron smirked.

"No, hot date with some OAPs and a birthday cake." Victoria corrected him rolling her eyes as he walked over to him.

"Why aren't you going out getting bladdered?"

"Doing that after." The younger teen told him.

"I better sort you out a present then, han't I?" Aaron explained. "No honestly, I've got you something at home, you'll love it."

Victoria laughed. "Like I haven't heard that one before." She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright then, I won't bother." Aaron grunted, not getting what she was getting at.

"I'll get my coat, meet me outside." The brunette told him, before he had a chance to argue she was already through the back.

Completely ditching the idea of spending his evening in the pub waiting for Adam to arrive, Aaron left The Woolpack and walked round the side of the pub and waited round the back for Victoria to come out. Five minutes later, the younger teen sneaked out the back of the pub, with a dark coat on and mischievous smirk on her face.

"So what's this present you had for me?" Victoria asked curiously.

Before Aaron had a chance to answer her his phone began to buzz in the pocket of his trackies.

"Some one's popular." She commented as Aaron began to delve into his pockets for his phone.

He looked at the screen before answering it, curious to see who it was first. If it was Adam he could wait till later, he was busy with Victoria at the moment.

Jackson, lit up across his screen. Before the phone had a chance to ring for the fifth time, Aaron opened and shut his phone, ending the call instantly.

"Not important then?" Victoria questioned, noticing how Aaron's whole demeanor had changed upon seeing who was calling him.

Aaron tried to shake it off. "No." He said screwing up his face before plastering on a smile. "Still want to know what this present is?"

"Course." Victoria grinned.

"Good." Aaron said beginning to walk off. "Come on then."

"Where to?"

"Mine."

He had no idea why Jackson was calling him out of the blue. It was just this morning that he had been thinking about sending him a text but he hadn't. Why was the builder calling him?

Aaron took Victoria back to Smithy Cottage, they had the house to themselves. Paddy was next door in the surgery. Apparently still caught up with showing the new locum vet the ropes or something like that, he hadn't really been listening when he had tried talking to him about it the previous day.

"Is this the present you were talking about?" Victoria questioned looking unimpressed by the can of larger pressed into her hands by the young mechanic when they stood in his kitchen.

Aaron shrugged. "Yeah."

"Pig."

"It's the thought that counts." Aaron grunted.

"Hmm. . .whatever." Victoria sighed, opening hers up.

"Come on." Aaron urged as he headed into the lounge, to get more comfortable.

They spent an hour just chatting like old times on the sofa, both getting through two cans of larger each. Neither had been aware of the time when Victoria gazed over at the clock stood on the mantel piece. They had talked about the time when Andy had caught them drinking at the pavilion and hadn't been too pleased with the young mechanic leading his younger sister astray and when he had stolen a box of wine from Diane. He missed those times. It seemed a lot more simpler then, nobody knew. He missed winding Victoria up.

"Shoot!" She exclaimed grabbing for her coat. She'd been quite content leaning against Aaron as they teased each other about random things.

"What?"

"Look at the time! I'm meant to be back by now!" She cried out, shoving her arms through the sleeves of her coat and jumping up from the sofa.

"Just blame me. Everyone else does." Aaron grinned as she began to get flustered.

"I will!" Victoria joked.

Aaron placed his empty can of larger on the coffee table and stood up. "I'll come back with you."

Victoria pulled a face.

"What?"

"Very gentlemanly like of you!" Victoria teased.

"Don't be daft." Aaron laughed off. "Meeting Adam. He owes me."

The younger teen scoffed as she stepped outside. "And there was me thinking you were becoming a gentleman Aaron!"

When he entered The Woolpack for the third time that day he found Adam at the bar, already sipping on a pint. He sneaked up behind the young farmer and went to pull him off the back of his stool.

"Ahh!" Adam exclaimed. "You git!"

"Boys!" Diane scolded from behind the bar, as Victoria rushed through the back.

"Sorry Diane." Adam apologized before turning on Aaron who was laughing. "What you playing at!""

Aaron shrugged. "You owe me."

"Here." Adam said, slapping a five pound note down on the bar top before asking Diane for another pint.

"Thank you." Aaron grinned, pocketing the money.

Adam shook his head. "Didn't think I would be seeing you tonight."

"Why's that?"

"Saw you and Victoria sneaking off to Smithy." Adam commented.

"Nothing happened." Aaron told him as he enjoyed his drink. Yeah, he had been there with Victoria. She had been his first. But they were friends now, nothing like that anymore.

"Good."

"What's that meant to mean?" Aaron questioned on the defense.

Adam shrugged. "Just saying, Victoria's alright."

"Meaning?"

Adam sighed, before turning to face his mate. "I just don't want her to end up getting hurt in your cover up plan."

"Shut up!" Aaron growled.

"I'm just sayin-."

"Well don't." Aaron snapped leaving the rest of his pint as he stood up and left the bar.

He was walking away from The Woolpack, kicking a stone mindlessly along when he was set on by one of his cousins. He stood himself in front off Aaron, towering over him in his lanky form. He didn't look to happy.

"I know what you done to Paddy and I know what game you're playing!" He snapped at him. "You might think you can scare Paddy into doing what you want and getting away with it, but you won't with me! Not with zak if he ever found out!"

Aaron shook his head, trying to keep his temper in check. But it was hard to do so when he had someone yelling in his face. "Just jog on Marlon." He sighed.

"No I won't! You've got that man exactly where you want him!" Marlon hissed. "He's scared of a kid, of you!"

Aaron tried to side step the angry chef. "Let me get through."

"Or what? Are you going to hit me too? Huh?" The older man fired, blocking his way. "I'm on to you Aaron, if you so much as make one wrong move ..."

Aaron snorted. "If that's all?" He said as he managed to step past his older cousin and carry on bus way home.

"I'm watching you Aaron." Marlon threatened behind him.

"Whatever." Aaron shrugged off despite how much his words had gotten to him. He wasn't some phyco that had a grown man scared stiff in his own home. He wasn't like that. However maybe it was better people thought that rather than the alternative. He carried on his way home.

Paddy waited by the kitchen table, looking out the front window, across the lawn and village. He was watching out for Aaron. He had caught Marlon talking to Aaron, stopping him on his way home. He had edged closer to the window then, straining his eyes to see more. Even where he was stood in his own home yards away, he could tell it wasn't a pleasant conversation from both sides. When Aaron was allowed past by Marlon, Paddy put the kettle on hoping to make himself look busy for when the young mechanic walked in. He didn't want him to know that he had seen his older cousin having words with him. He was a little annoyed with the Chef himself. He didn't need him protecting him; there was nothing to protect him from.


	21. Chapter 21

The next afternoon Aaron was slaving away over a huge stack of invoices, something which he didn't particularly enjoy. He had no sooner stepped inside the garage that morning, when Cain had done the pleasure of informing the young mechanic what his tasks were for that day. Neither of the older two mechanics wanted to touch the paper work and had left it all to him. He had tried arguing but his miserable uncle had soon told him if all the invoices weren't finished by the end of the day he would be looking for another job. So grudgingly, he got on with the invoices.

"Your phones ringing again Aaron!" Ryan shouted out across the garage.

He'd left his phone by the kettle and was trying to ignore it. He didn't want to answer it, scared of who it might be. He wasn't in the mood. He had woken up in a bad mood and had been put in an even worse one by them two.

"Aaron!"

"What!" He snapped back, slamming his pen down on the desk.

"Your phone. Answer it!" His uncle ordered.

Aaron glared at his uncle, swinging his legs out from underneath the desk and storming over to the small work top which was dedicated to a kettle, mini fridge and a few cups.

"Hello?" He answered rather abruptly, not even bothering to see who it was that had been so persistent in calling that day.

"Hey, Aaron? It's Jackson." The voice on the other end replied, making Aaron's stomach knot.

The young mechanic turned his back on the other two mechanics who didn't even seem bothered by the phone call, and stalked further into the back of the garage so he wasn't heard. "What do you want?" He demanded in hushed tones.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see how you were." Jackson told him. "And whether you wanted to meet up in town tonight. . . just as friends."

He had wanted to meet up with the older builder again. He couldn't. That wasn't who he was.

"Just friends, like I said." Jackson repeated sensing the argument that the younger man might be having in his head. The older builder was quite interested in the younger man. He hadn't been able to get him out of his head. There was something about him, unlike all the other guys he had met. Yes, he had told him just as friends, and they would be meeting each other just as friends. But he would be lying if he said he didn't want more than that. However he also knew how unsure of him self the teen was. It was dangerous ground.

"Fine." Aaron simply said quickly before he had a chance to argue with himself anymore. It was just as friends. Two lads going for a drink, just like him and Adam would.

"Awesome. See you in Bar West at 6." Jackson quickly told him before hanging up.

What? Bar West. He couldn't go back in there again. Two lads going out for a drink like mates, that's what he said.

For the rest of the day he tried to keep his mind on the invoices at hand. He knew that if he made any mistakes then he would be back again tomorrow going through every single one again, he knew what his uncle was like. However he couldn't stop thinking about Jackson. He couldn't call him back whilst he was at work, he didn't want Ryan or Cain over hearing and he didn't finish work till five an hour before they were meeting. So there was no point calling him then. He would just have to meet him in Bar West then try to get them to move on to some other Bar in town. He could do that. His stomach was in knots as he thought about it all throughout the rest of the day.

He managed to nip home quickly, grab a short shower and change of clothes before he raced outside to catch the next bus. He stood by the bus stop, groaning inside when he saw Scarlett across the road heading straight for him. He didn't need her to contend with. He only put up with her because of Adam.

"So are you going to gig as well then?" Scarlett asked as she got closer, a big stupid grin plastered on her face like usual. She was talking about the gig that Adam was going to that night. The young farmer had texted Aaron that morning telling him he'd managed to get some cheap tickets to see some unsigned band play in Hotton that night. He'd soon told him he wasn't interested. Unsigned bands were unsigned for a reason.

"No."

"So where you going then?" She asked innocently, hoping she could grab an invite along.

"Just around." Aaron answered relieved to see the bus pulling up in front of him.

"You're very secretive." Scarlett commented a little hurt.

"Only 'cause you're very nosey." Aaron shot back before stepping onto the bus.

Victoria passed him, as she got off of the bus. Shooting him a smile as she stepped past.

What was he doing?

"Do you want a ticket?" The bus driver asked, trying to get his attention as he just stood at the front of the bus thinking over what he was about to do.

He was about to go meet a gay guy in a gay bar in Hotton. How stupid was he? He didn't want anybody to know about his secret and he was about to flaunt it all about town. What was he thinking? No he did not want a ticket. He pushed past Scarlett who was stood behind him, waiting to get on the bus herself.

"What was all that about?" Victoria questioned, as Aaron stood beside her waiting for the bus to pull away.

"Just decided I've got better things to do with my time." Aaron told her.

"Like what?" Victoria pushed. He was dressed up. Jeans, a nice shirt and a leather jacket, he was obviously heading off somewhere nice.

"Dunno." Aaron shrugged. "Just fancied a walk."

"If you stood up some girl for that she must be a right minger." Victoria commented.

Aaron smirked, holding back a laugh as he thought of Jackson dressed in girls clothes. Yes, he would make a rather minging looking girl.

"That's better!" Victoria said noticing his slight smile. ". . . Gonna call her? Make up some excuse?"

"No." Aaron said shaking his head. He was gonna forget about them. So far he had done a rubbish job.

"Treat 'em mean hey?" Victoria laughed. "Well, seeing as we've both got nothing to do and no where to go, you might as well buy me a coffee!"

"Come on then."

The cafe was pretty empty when they first turned up, only a couple of others inside finishing off their cups of tea and cake. Victoria took up a table in the corner while Aaron went over and ordered them both a cup of a tea each, tapping out a beat on the counter top to annoy Viv as she quickly made up the drinks. He grabbed a bunch of sugar sachets in one hand the two mugs in his other and headed over to the table where Victoria sat.

"You know that much sugar isn't good for you." Victoria commented as she watched Aaron pour at least four sachets of sugar into his tea.

Aaron shrugged. "A lot of things aren't good for you." He smirked before taking a big sip.

"Hurry up, I want to close!" Viv announced from the other side of the counter, watching them.

"You shouldn't have sold us them if you were going to close!"Victoria shot back at her.

"Any chance of a bacon butty?" Aaron asked cheekily.

"Don't push it." Viv snapped.

"I can make you one, back at home." The younger teen told him,

"Nah, you're alright. Only said it to wind her up." Aaron explained, taking another big sip of his tea.

"Do you ever take anything seriously?" Victoria laughed.

"Not if I can help it." He shrugged. "How did your birthday go last night?"

"Yeah went alright ta. Andy told me he was moving out."

"Thought you and him got on?" Aaron questioned while Viv began to wipe down the tables and place the chairs on top rather noisily. He shot her an annoyed glare when she looked their way.

"We do. That's why it's so brilliant." Victoria explained to him rather excitedly. "He'll have all these parties and I'll have a place to go If I need somewhere private. Be a place for me and you to meet up. . . if erm, we want to be alone."

Alone? Aaron tried not to choke on the tea that he had been about to swallow. "Well urm, w-what you on about?"

"Well you've just dumped you're girlfriend and I'm not seeing anyone." Victoria told him as if it was plain to see.

"Well it didn't feel like that when I tried to kiss you the other week." Aaron reminded her.

"Yeah well, I wasn't expecting it then!" The younger teen told him. "I thought we were over. But I've had time to think and I reckon it will be worth us giving it another go. You must have felt the same if not you would have never of tried it on."

What had he done now? Aaron dragged a hand down his face. He didn't see Victoria like that anymore. Adam was right, she didn't deserve to get hurt and that's exactly what would end up happening. He would end up ruining everything and she would be the one that was hurt and hating him in the long run. She was a good friend, a really good friend. One who didn't know everything about him and judged him.

"It wasn't like that." Aaron tried to explain. It hadn't been, well maybe it had been. But now he could see it was just his way to vent out his frustrations, show what he could be like.

"What do you mean?"

"It was a mistake. Listen, thanks for the chat." Aaron said, already getting up, sensing things were going to be a little awkward between them now.

"Bye!"

Aaron hadn't been looking where he was going as he began to walk away from the cafe, heading no where in particular, just somewhere to clear his head from everything that seemed to be weighing him down. His phone had gone off in his pocket when he had been talking to Victoria and he only just pulled it out to check who it was. It was Jackson. Sending him a short text, saying could have let him know that he couldn't make it, nothing else, straight to the point.

"Careful!" A voice called out into his ear, when he bumped into the side of someone.

He quickly reached out to catch them before they fell, only just registering who it was. Holly.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, I would be if people didn't walk into me!" She huffed, pulling her coat round her.

"Sorry, I was er. . ." Aaron tried to apologise.

"Too busy texting your girlfriend."

That caught him. How did she know he was seeing a girl? Well, was. Actually he didn't know anymore. It was difficult to keep up with things him self. But no, she had never been his girlfriend, if it were Natasha she was talking about.

"Er, no actually. She's not my girlfriend."

Holly snorted. Adam had obviously told her about her.

"How are you?" Aaron asked, genuinely concerned. She looked tired, worn out.

"Fine." Holly snapped.

"Are you sure? You look a bit. . ." Aaron tried to put it nicely, but true to guy form coming out with the wrong thing.

"Sorry if I'm not looking as good as this Natasha girl you're seeing! But I have more things to worry about than getting laid and partying all night." Holly spat, before turning to walk away, leaving Aaron a little stunned and confused.

What was all that about?


	22. Chapter 22

Jackson had tried to get hold of the younger mechanic who he had taken quite a shine too. He couldn't put his finger on what exactly drew him to the younger man, but he knew there was something about him, something different from all the other guys. He did know that Aaron wasn't being truthful to himself; he was still trying to live a lie. He knew, he'd been there once before himself. The teen was most probably going through a rough time and he wasn't going to push him on that. He could wait, there was no rush. He didn't even know if the teen did have feelings for him, or even felt the same way. However he had just been offered a job. Somewhere close to where Aaron lived, just a mile away to be exact. He was reinventing an old house that had been abandoned for years and years. One of his builder friends had suggested him for the job and in the end he had took it on.

That was why he had been trying to get hold of the young mechanic, to let him know about his soon to be presence in the village. He wanted to warn him, explain the reason why he would be there. He didn't want Aaron thinking he was hunting him down. He knew most of his time would be spent restoring the house back to a high standard but on the off chance if all the other builder decided to head further into the village for lunch, he may just bump into the teen.

Today was his first day; he had already spent all morning pulling up the floorboards in an upstairs room. Just like he had thought would happen, the other builder decided to head to the local pub to grab a late lunch when three a clock came round. They had all been working hard and had definitely worked up a large appetite which could only be satisfied by a pub meal. So that was how he found himself , following hi mate into The Woolpack.

"Grab us a table you two and I'll get the drinks in." Mike said, already heading towards the bar.

"Sure thing." Jackson said heading towards a spare table to the left, taking up a seat where he could see the whole of the pub. He picked up a table menu, reading through contents for something to attract their eye. They were starving.

"Here you go lads." Mike said, skilfully carrying three pints of larger in his hands towards the table.

"Cheers mate." Jackson thanked, picking up his and taking a refreshing gulp.

Just as he was setting his glass down, he caught a pair of eyes from across the bar staring at him. Aaron was standing over the other side of the pub with two other girls and a guy. The teen looked uncomfortable. A short dark haired girl had arm draped around his waist, giggling against him as he stared across the bar at the builder. He looked a little shocked. Jackson tried to send a smile over to him but as soon as he did the younger man looked away and tried to force himself back into conversation with the people he was with.

The older builder waited until the younger man left his group to go to the toilets, away from prying eyes. He followed Aaron out the main room of the pub and into the entrance way, tapping him on the arm before he had a chance to go into the men's toilets. He wasn't following him in there.

"Could have sent me a text to let me know you weren't coming." Jackson said when the younger man turned around.

"Look I don't want a scene." Aaron said already starting to panic. It was all too close to home.

"So, chill-." Jackson started to say before someone opened a door behind him to leave the pub. "Stop making one, I'm just hear having a drink with Mike."

"And who's he?" Aaron asked rather quickly.

"He works for me, we're doing a job down the road- Anyway don't get jealous, you're the one who stood me up." Jackson tried to tease.

"Will you keep it down." Aaron hissed, paranoid that somebody may hear them.

"So, why did you do it?" Jackson questioned. Was the young guy that paranoid about somebody figuring out that he may just be attracted to guys that he couldn't meet another guy for a drink.

"Look I can't talk about it, not here." Aaron told him.

"You know two guys can talk to each other in pubs you know, it's not a sign of being gay." Jackson said, he was growing annoyed by the way Aaron kept trying to keep him hushed and the way he was edge and ready to shut up as soon as somebody walked through the door. He had spent a long while being like that and it wasn't worth it, he was going to start acting on edge about it again.

"Will you stop saying that!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Look, come and have a drink with us. Anybody would think your ashamed to be seen. . ." Jackson tested. ". . . well I guess they would be right." He sneered when Aaron made no move to say he would in fact sit with him for a drink.

Back inside the pub, after Jackson had walked away and left him, disgusted with how he was acting, Aaron had rejoined Adam, Scarlett and her friend, Bethany was it? Scarlett's friend had excused herself to go touch up her lippy in the ladies toilets and Adam had just stood up to get another round in, leaving him sitting opposite Scarlett.

"So, you going to take an interest in Bryony?" Scarlett questioned as she drank the last of her vodka and lemonade.

"What?"

"You've been staring at her like she's your mom!" Scarlett commented. "She's interested in you, you know."

"Whatever." Aaron scoffed, shaking his head. He wasn't up for Scarlett telling him what to do.

"Here she comes." Scarlett said, nodding her head towards the door over Aaron's shoulder. "Act interested would you!"

Aaron looked over his shoulder automatically. Not only was Bryony re-entering the pub, but so was Jackson. They shared brief eye contact, the builder being the first to look away and join his friend at their table, clapping Mike on the shoulders as he shuffled past him to his seat.

"Alright?" Bryony smiled, thinking Aaron had been looking at her.

"Yeah." Aaron said clearing his throat, she stood beside him waiting for the young mechanic to shuffle along the bench seat to make space for her.

"Come on, lets go back to mine, better music." Aaron said, without thinking it through a few minutes later.

He knew Jackson had been watching up, seeing how he was acting towards Bryony. That was he had suggested him and bryony go back to his. He was trying to show the older builder he wasn't like him. They passed him on their way out the door, Jackson staring directly at Aaron with questioning eyes.

A/N - This is a really short update. At the moment I am wondering whether or not to carry on with any of my fanfics. I did have lots of plans to carry them all on and get them finished but at the moment things are seeming a bit rushed and naff. Thank you for taking your time to read.


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